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cc:::X£^F-^i4ErR  S 


OF 


SHAHCOOLEN, 

A 

HWDU  PHILOSOPHER, 

RESIDING    IN 

PHILADELPHIA  I 

TO   HIS  FRIEND 

EL    HASSAN, 

AN    INHABITANT  OF 

DELHI. 


BOSTON, 
PRINTED  BY  RUSSELL  AND  CUTLER. 
(proprietors  of  the  work.) 

1802. 


mfL 


TO 

THE  HON.  3lolnt  aRutnci?  ^Damsf,  esc^ire, 

WHOSE 

ATTAINMENTS  AS  A  SCHOLAR. 

AND 

INTELLIGENCE  AS  A  STATESMAN  AND  CIVILIAN, 

HAVE 

DESERVEDLY   RANKED   HIM  AMONG  THE 

FIRST  POLITICAL 

AND 

LITERARY  CHARACTERS 

OF 

AMERICA  ; 

rnis  VOLUME^ 

CONTAINING  PURE  MORALS^  CORRECT  POLITICS, 
AND  ELEGANT  LITERATUREy 

IS  RESPECTFULLY 

iDetJicateo, 

As  a  Teftimony  of  the  Admiration  and  Efteem  of  his 
Obedient  Servants, 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


ADVERTISEMENT  OF  THE  PUBLISHERS. 


THE  Letters,  which  compofe  this  Volume,  were  origin- 
ally publifhcd  in  the  New- York  "  Commercial  Advertifer  ;" 
and  appear  to  have  been  the  leifure-hour  lucubrations  of  fome 
ingenious  correfpondent  of  that  well  edited  paper.  A  few  of 
the  firft  numbers,  having  been  republiflied  in  this  place,  feveral 
literary  Genflemen  fuggefted  to  the  Editors  the  propriety  of 
coUedling  and  publifliing  in  a  volume  this  valuable  fpecimen  of 
American  Literature.  With  this  view,  they  addreffed  a  let- 
ter to  the  anonymous  author  of  the  Letters  of  Shahcoolen, 
requefting  his  permiflion  for  their  publication.  To  this,  with 
diffidence,  he  confented,  and  immediately  forwarded,  after  a 
hafty  revifion,  a  regular  file  of  all,  that  at  prefent  he  intended 
to  publifh.  Of  their  literary  excellence,  the  public  may  now 
form  an  opinion.  Tt  is  therefore  unneceflary  to  enter  on 
a  critical  difcuffion  of  their  merits.  The  fentiments  how- 
ever, which  they  inculcate,  both  moral  and  political,  are  cer- 
tainly of  the  pureft  tendency ;  and  are  calculated  to  corredb 
the  philofophical  reveries  of  the  prefent  day,  and  to  difplay 
to  pofterity  fome  of  the  leading  traits  in  the  manners  and  prin- 
ciples of  the  Eighteenth  Century.  In  the  character  of  a  Na- 
tive of  Hindujiariy  it  was  neceffary  to  adopt  the  Eaftern  man- 
ner of  compofition.  Comparing  them  with  the  few  fpecimens 
of  Oriental  Literature,  we  have  feen,  the  Author  has  been 
happy  in  his  imitation.  Theftyle  of  thofe  Eaftcrn  writers  may 
appear  too  florid  and  glowing  to  a  correcSledtafte  of  more  north- 
ern climes.  Enjoying  a  milder  atmofphere,  xhtiv  feelings  and 
imaginations  are  more  warm  and  vivid,  their  language  and 
mode  of  expreffion  will  of  courfebemore  brilliant,  and  be  or- 
namented with  a  greater  variety  of  metaphorical  allulion.  The 
Author  of  thefe  letters,  however,  has  preferved  the  leading 
features  of  their  ftyle,  without  following  them  in  their  excur- 
fions  of  wild  limilitude  and  extravagant  hyperbole.  This  man- 
ner of  writing  has  already  been  fuccefsfully  attempted  by  the 
mofl  diftinguiflied  among  the  Englijh,  German,  and  French 
writers,  and  thofe  who  have  read,  and  admired  the  tJitizen  of 
the  IVorld,  or  the  Perfian  Letters ,  will  not  be  difpleafed  with 
thofe  of  Shahcoolen. 

THE  Author,  although  he  has  for  the  prefent  fufpended 
his  literary  lucubrations,  pofTefled  of  health  and  lei- 
fure,  will  probably  again,  refume  his  fpeculations  and  fulfill  the 
promifes  already  made  in  fome  of  thefe  letters  ;  and  the 
Editors  may  poffibly  have  it  in  their  power  to  prefent  the 
public  with  a  fecond  volume. 


PREFACE. 

THE  Letters  which  are  prefented  to  the  publick, 
in  this  little  Volume,  were  never  defigned,  by  the 
writer,  for  any  other  than  a  newfpaper  exidence. 

IT  was  the-  ;fore  expefted,  that  they  would  flide 
into  oblivion,  along  with  the  other  ephemeral  produc- 
tions, which  conftantly  iffue  from  the  preffes  of  our 
Country. 

FULLY  impreffed  with  tbis  idea,  the  author  gave 
way  to  that  eafy  negligence,  which  Is  admiffibJe  in  fu- 
gitive pieces,  but  oughL  never  to  be  indulged  by  a 
writer,  who  prefents  himfelf  ac  ^he  bar  of  Criticifm>. 
and  challenges  the  applaufe  of  poflerity. 

FINDING  that  a  plan  was  already  matured,  at  Bojf- 
ton,  to  give  tkefe  letters  the  more  durable  form  of  a 
Volume,  the  autlior  has  corre^led  fuch  errors  as  pre- 
fented themfelves  upon  a  fecond  perufal  ;  and  fince 
he  could  not  prevent  the  intended  publication,  he 
has  attempted  to  fave  the  Criticks  as  much  trouble 
as  pofllble. 

STILL  he  is  fenfible,  that  imperfe(fl  health,  nume- 
rous avocations,  and  a  hafty  review,  may  have  left 
many  errors  undetedled. 

FOR  thefe,  his  only  apology  is,  that  the  trifling 
produdlons  which  compofe  this  little  book,  would 
never  have  claimed  a  place  upon  the  Bookfeller's 
ftielf,  had  not  the  fentiments  of  the  publifhers  been 
more  favorable  to  them,  than  his  own. 


CONTENTS. 


Letter  Pack 

I.  GENERAL  account  of  the  new  Phllofophy     -     -     13 

II.  Mary  Woolstonecraft.     -      ------     ai 

III.  Mary  Woolstonecraft.     -------     aj 

IV.  PraAical  Influence  of  her  writings  upon  the  wo- 

men of  the  United  States.       -----     39 

V.     State  of  the  female  fex  in  the  United  States.      -     49 

VI.  State  of  American  Poetry — American  Poets,  ex- 
tracts from  their  writings.      ------     63 

VII.  Scenes  of  nature  in  America  ;  calculated  to  excite 
poetical  enrhufiafm ;  comparifon  of  them 
with  thofe  of  Hinduftan      -------     80 

VIII.     Seled:ions  from  Hindu   Poetry  ;  remarks.       -     -     91 

IX.  Poetry  of  the  fcriptures  ;  Solomon's  Song*;  Re- 
femblante  between  it  and  the  Gitogavinda  of 
Jayadeva.  -----------^8 

X.  Solomon's  Song    confidered  as  a  Poem;      Selec- 

tions from  it.      -      ---------    106 

XI.  Attachment    of  the  writer  to  Poetry  ; — Selec- 

tions   from  the  Gitagovinda.       -    -     -     -     -  114 

XII.     SeleiStions  from  the  Gitagovinda  continued.     -     -  ia6 

XIII.  Dialogue  with  a  modern  Philofopher.     -     -     -     -  138 

XIV.  Dialogue  with  a  modern  Phiiofepher  continued.    -14^ 


.J^- 


}imtt  ^im- 


DEARLY  BELOVED  EL  HJSSAN, 

1  HOU    knoweft    how,   breakins" 

o 

through  that  cuftom  of  my  country,  which 
confines  the  Hindu*  to  his  native  foil, 
and  yielding  to  my  ruling  paffion,  the 
love  of  knowledge,  I  left  the  delightful 
fields  of  Agra,  where  fragrance  floats  in 
every  breeze,  and  beauty  glows  in  every 
profped,  and  fleered  my  courfe  to  the 
Britifti  Ifles. — Thou  knoweft,  how  I  ex- 
plored every  European  region,  from  rocky 
and  inhofpitable  Norway,  to  the  luxu- 
riant plains  of  Sicily  ;  noting  in  my  pro- 
grefs,  the  various  fhades  of  character  and 
manners,  and  tranfmitting  thee,  from 
time  to  time,  the  flory  of  my  travels. 

*  There  Is  no  inconfiftency  in  the  fuppofitlon  that  a  //>«- 
du  Phlcfopher  has  left  his  country  for  a  feafon.  If  is  indeed 
the  policy  of  the  Hindu  religion,  government  and  manners, 
to  bind  the  people  to  their  country ;  but  a  man  of  an  en- 
lightened and  enterprifing  mind  may  eafilv  be  fuppofcd  to 
break  through  fuch  a  cuftom  in  purfuit  of  knowledge. 


«4  LETTERS  OF 

PURSUING  ftill  the  favourite  objeft  of 
my  life,  I  am  now  fixed  for  a  feafon,  in 
this  great  city,  the  emporium  of  this 
weftern  world. 

THOU  remembereft  that  I  told  thee 
of  a  new  fed'of  Philofophers,  lately  arifen 
in  Europe,  who  profefs  to  teach  mankind, 
in  a  mode  entirely  new,  the  way  to  vir- 
tue, and  to  happinefs.  The  eftablifhed 
laws,  religion,  manners  and  maxims  of 
their  country  they  condemn  ;  and  teach, 
that  man,  by  nature  perfed,  needs  but 
to  follow  nature's  impulfe  ;  and  his  own 
energies  will  carry  him  to  virtue  and  to 
glory. 

THIS  new  Philofophy  has  fpread,  in  a 
greater  or  lefs  degree,  over  the  whole  of 
civilized  Europe,  and  it  is  inculcated.,  and 
believed  by  multitudes  in  America. 

TO  a  Hindu,  who  has  been  taught 
from  his  cradle,  to  believe  implicitly  the 
holy  Bramins,  to  copy  the  manners  of 
his  anceftors,  and  to  venerate  the  religion 
of  the  great  Brumma,  fuch  dodrines  ap* 
pear  impious  and  horrible. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  15 

BUT  thou  mufl  not  think,  that  I  am 
in  a  country  like  Hinduftan. 

HERE  the  God  of  the  land,  whom  they 
call  Jehovah  ;  his  fon  and  the  partner  of 
his  throne,  Jesus  Christ,  ^6^'  Saviour  ; 
and  a  third  perfon  of  the  Godhead,  the 
Sanctifier  ;  thus  refernblinj'"  the  three 
great  emanations  of  the  divine  Brurnma, 
are  every  day  infulted  and  blafphemed. — 
Their  holy  Veda  and  Shahstah,  denom- 
inated the  Bible,  are  not  only  oppofed 
by  argument,  but  made  the  fubjecl  of 
{landing  ridicule  ;  they  are  quoted  and  al- 
luded to,  in  the  expreffton  of  their  moft 
lewd  and  profane  conceptions ;  and^many, 
afFeding  a  peculiar  brilliancy  of  wit,  re- 
peat,  with  the  moft  blafphemous  levity, 
fuch  paffages  of  thefe  facred  books,  as  ap- 
pear, even  to  my  mind,  replete  with  ho- 
ly grandeur. 

THE  Bramins  or  Priefts,  whom  we  in 
Hinduftan  venerate  and  love,  w^hofe  per- 
fons  and  employment  we  believe  too  fa- 
cred to  be  made  the"^  theme  of  familiar 
difcourfe,  are  here  loaded  with  obloquy 


i6  LETTERS  OF 

and  contempt,  charged  with  fuch  nefa- 
rious defigns,  as  are  imputed  by  us,  only 
to  the  defpifed  vagabonds  of  the  Cast 
of  HarrL 

THE  pagodas  or  temples,  in  which  we 
place  the  image  of  the  great  Briinwia^  of 
Vavafwata^  of  M'ahadeva^  and  of  the  other 
Gods,  into  which  we  never  enter  with- 
out ablution,  and  from  which  we  never 
depart  without  proftrate  devotion,  are 
here  thrown  open  upon  common  and  pro- 
fane occaiions.  In  them  they  ailemble 
to  debate  concerning  their  public  affairs  ; 
to  eled  their  Rajahs  and  Sultans ;  and 
fometimes,  to  exhibit  a  ftrange  kind  of 
performance,  called  a  comedy  or  tragedy, 
in  which  the  fcenes  of  real  life  are  pro- 
fefledly  exhibited,  perfons  and  manners 
are  ridiculed,  blood  is  flied,  and  war 
waged  in  jeft. 

-• 

iHou   knovvcll  that  a   Hindu   never 

fpeaks  of  his  Sulta.n,  but  with  the  moll: 
reverential  refpecl  ;  his  character  he  al- 
ways defends  ;  his  mandates  he  ever  o- 
beys  5    and    his    death   he   lincerely    de- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  17 

plores.  The  Sultan  is  confidered,  by  the 
Hindu,  as  the  head,  the  prince  and  the  fa- 
ther of  his  people  ;  and  to  enable  him  to 
promote  his  people's  welfare,  their  lives, 
their  talents  and  their  fortunes  are  placed 
entirely  at  his  difpofal.  His  glory  is  their 
glory,  and  his  profperity  their  happinefs. 

BUT  in  this  country  the  Sultan  is  the 
fervant  of  the  people.  By  them,  his  mer- 
its are  freely  difculTed,  his  failings  mag- 
nified, and  his  virtues  diminilhed  ;  he  is 
the  jeft  of  every  vulgar  tongue  ;  his  mea- 
fures  are  examined,  cenfured  and  oppofed ; 
and,  as  he  is  indebted  to  the  people  for 
his  elevation,  fo  he  depends  upon  them 
for  the  exiftence  of  his  dignity ;  and  there- 
fore, defcends  from  his  precarious  throne, 
whenever  his  fovereigns^  the  people^  fee  fit 
to  direct. 

.1  AM  told  that  the  ftate  of  things  which 
I  have  defer ibed,  is  imputed  in  part,  to 
the  influence  of  the  new  philofophy. 
is  the  fpirit  of  this  philofophy  to  reduce 
all  things  to  one  common  level ;  to  pull 
down  the  Gods  from  their  thrones,  and 

B2 


1 8  LETTERS  OF 

to  trample  the  kings  of  the  earth  in  the 
duft.  It  interferes  in  every  concern  of 
public,  and  of  private  life ;  and  aims  at 
a  total  change  in  every  department  of 
fociety. 

A  sYsTtM  of  philofophy  fo  fmgular^ 
and  which  has  already  produced  very  ex- 
tenfive  and  fatal  effecls,  cannot  be  unin- 
terefting  to  a  philofopher. 

I  SHALL  therefore,  my  dear  El  Haffan, 
endeavour  to  trace  the  operations  of  this 
new  philofophy,  upon  the  affairs  of  this 
weflern  world;  andfhall  not  fail  to  com- 
municate my  difcoveries,  connected  with 
fuch  other  interefting  remarks,  as  have 
probably  never  reached  the  walls  of  Del- 
hi, nor  employed  before,  the  contera- 
plations  of  a  Hi?idu  Philofopher, 

THOU,  w4io  inhabit  eft  a  country,  whole 
laws,  cuftoms  and  ideas,  are  immutably 
fixed,  wilt  learn  with  aftonilhment,  that 
no  cuftom  is  here  fo  facred,  and  no  doc- 
trine fo  venerable,  as  to  be  fecure  againft 
the  innovations   of  the  new  philofophy. 


SHAHCOOLEN  19 

For  a  number  of  years  it  has  filled  the 
fined  countries  of  Europe  with  defolation 
and  carnage  j  and  thofe  regions  ;  which  it 
has  not  ravaged,  have  been  rent  afunder 
by  factions  ;  every  man  has  taken  his 
fide,  and,  not  unfrequently,  members  of 
the  fame  family,  and  partners  of  the  fame 
houfe,  are  feen  in  oppofite  ranks. 

THE  latter  part  of  this  defcription  is  ap- 
plicable  to  America.  Even  here,  the  mofl 
difi:ant  regions  of  the  empire,  although 
equally  remote  from  each  other,  as  the 
mountains  of  Kuttner  from  the  mouths 
of  the  Ganges^  are  hailing,  with  the  moft 
extravagant  exultation,  the  firfl:  dawn- 
ings  of  the  new  illumination. 

THE  new  philofophy  is  the  ruling  top- 
ic of  difcufilon  ;  it  is  perpetually  contef- 
ted  and  advocated,  by  the  learned  and 
the  great  ;  while  the  loweft  claffes  of  fo- 
ciety,  of  the  fame  degree  as  thofe  in  Hin- 
duftan  of  the  calls  of  Sudder  and  Harris 
implicitly  believe  the  dogmas,  which  they 
are  taught. 

NOT  the  mufic  of  Nared,  fliould  he 


20  LETTERS  Oh' 

tune  to  fweeteft  harmony  his  heavenly 
lyre,  nor  the  melodious  numbers  of  the 
fifters  GopiA,  fmging,  by  moon-light,  in 
the  fragrant  groves  of  the  facred  moun- 
tain Goverdhan^  v^ould  be  able  to  allure  a 
inodem  Pbilofofher  from  thefe  bewildering 
fpeculations.  May  the  almighty  Brum- 
ma  illuminate  the  mind  of  my  dear  El 
Haffan,  and  prefer ve  him  till  he  fhall  again 
I'eceive  the  embraces  of  his  faithful 

SHAHCOOLEN. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ai 


^letter  ^econD- 


BELOFED  EL  HASSANy 

jl  ALSE  philofophy,  ftriving  to  im- 
prefs  upon  mankind  the  convidion,  that 
it  foars  above  common  pleafures,  and 
common  ideas,  has  ever  afFe^ied  to  defpife 
and  to  degrade  that  fex,  which  the  great 
Brum  MA  has  given  us  to  alleviate,  by 
their  delightful  tendernefs,  all  the  pains, 
and  to  animate  all  the  joys  of  this  life. 
Knowing,  as  thou  doft,  my  warm  partial- 
ity for  this  lovlieft,  beft  part  of  creation, 
thou  canft  not  be  furprifed,  that  in  all 
the  countries  through  which  I  have  paff- 
ed,  their  happinefs  has  been  among  the 
earliefl  fubjefls  of  my  inveftigation. 

KNOW  then,  that  a  total  renovation  of 
the  female  character,  and  a  deftination  in 
fociety,  totally  new,  is  one  grand  object 
contemplated  by  that  new  philofophy,  of 
which,  in  my  laft  epiftle,  I  gave  fome 
fmall  account. 


%Z  LETTERS  OF 

MARY  Woolftonecraft,  a  female  phi- 
lofopher  of  the  new  fchool^  has  written, 
within  thefe  few  years  paft,  a  book,  which 
flie  named  "  A  vindication  of  the  Rights  of 
Woman  ;'*  compofed,  for  the  exprefs  pur- 
pofe  of  roufing  her  fex  from  their  inglo- 
rious repofe,  and  of  ftimulating  them  to 
a  vigorous  exertion  of  their  native  ener- 
gies. 

SHE  difcards  all  that  fexual  tendernefs, 
delicacy  and  modefty,  which  conftitute 
the  female  lovelinefs  ;  boldly  pronounces 
them  equal  to  the  rougher  fex  in  every 
thing  but  bodily  ftrength  ;  and  even  im- 
putes their  deficiency,  in  .this  particular, 
principally  to  a  falfely  refined  education. 
She  afferts  that  a  hufband  is  a  paltry  bau- 
ble, compared  with  the  attainments  of  rea- 
fon  ;  that  the  female  ihould  be  fubjecl,  or 
fuperior  to  the  male,  juft  in  proportion 
to  thofe  attainments  ;  and  that  the  want 
of  them  conftitutes  the  only  obligation 
for  the  fubmifilon  of  the  wife  to  the  huf. 
band.  This  female  philofopher  indig- 
nantly rejects  the  idea  of  a  fex  in  the  foul, 
pronouncing,  the  fenfibility,  timidity  and 


SHAHCOOLEN.  aj 

tendernefs  of  women,  to  be  merely  arti- 
ficial refinements  of  character,  introdu- 
ced and  fofi:ered  by  men,  to  render  fen- 
fual  pleafure  more  voluptuous.  She  in- 
deed profeiTes  a  high  regard  for  challity  ; 
but  unfortunately  the  practice  of  her  life 
was  at  war  with  her  precepts.  She  ad- 
mitted oYit  fenthnental  lover  after  another, 
to  the  full  fruition  of  her  charms,  and 
proved  the  atia'mments  of  reafon^  to  be,  in 
her  view,  fources  of  pleafure,  far  inferi- 
or, in  value,  to  the  pleafures  of  fenfe. 

IN  fliort,  polluted  as  flie  was  by  the 
loft  crime  of  woman,  Mary  ftepped  forth 
as  the  champion  and  reformer  of  her  fex  ; 
ftie  wifhed  to  ftrip  them  of  every  thing 
feminine,  and  to  afiimilate  them,  as  fail 
as  poffible,  to  the  mafculine  character. 

o,  MY  dear  El  Haffan,  how  oppofite  her 
views  to  every  thing,  which  we  deem  love- 
ly in  the  fex  !  O,  lovely  Alagra,  the 
brighteft  gem  that  fparkles  on  the  beau- 
teous plains  of  Agimere,  how  would 
thy  virgin  foul  fhrink  back  at  the  con- 
templation of  a  female  foul  unfesed  a 
man  in  female  form  ! 


LETTERS  OF 


A  COMPLETE  exhibition  of  the  regen- 
erating fyflem  of  this  female  lunatic, 
would  fatigue  thy  patience,  and  occupy 
too  large  a  portion  of  thefe  epiftles. 

so  fingular,  however,  is  her  fyftem 
and  fo  directly  oppofed  to  the  received 
opinions  of  mankind,  that  I  cannot  re- 
frain from  tracing  an  imperfect  outline. 
Not  fatisiied  with  mafculine  ideas,  and 
mafculine  habits,  Mary  Wolftonecraft 
wiflied,  as  the  confummation  of  female 
independence,  to  introduce  the  fex  into 
the  Camp,  the  Roflrum  and  the  Cabinet ; 
and  although  flie  does  not  recommend  a 
total  dereliction  of  the  hoiifehold  good^  ftill 
file  would  not  cramp  the  female  energies 
by  an  occupation  fo  much  beneath  their 
dignity,  except  fo  far,  as  flern  necelTity 
commands. 

SHE  ferioufly  advocates  the  right  of 
female  reprefentaliion — for  in  this  coun- 
try, and  in  fome  parts  of  Europe,  the 
right  of  reprefentation,  which  in  an  epif- 
tle  from  England,  I  have  already  explain- 
ed, is  fully  eftabliflied. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  aj 

SUPPOSE,  my  dear  friend,  that  a  band 
of  female  reprefentatives,  beautiful  as  the 
thirty  Raginis,*  who,  crowned  with 
flowery  wreaths,  dance  to  the  mufe  of 
Naked,  among  the  fpicy  groves  of  Mal- 
DoovAN,  fliould  mix  with  a  Legillative 
band  ;  would  not  the  cares  of  Legiflation 
be  excluded  by  the  witchcraft  of  love ! 
The  charms  of  the  fair  Orator  would 
plead  more  powerfully  than  her  tongue, 
and  gallantry  would  induce  compliance, 
where  reafon  would  have  ftimulated  to 
ftrenuous  oppoiition. 

IN  the  Cabinet,  their  fway  would  be 
ilill  more  complete.  Smiles,  tears  and 
fighs  would  decide  the  fate  of  nations ; 
and  beauty  would  direcl  the  march.of  ar- 
mies on  the  frontiers,  and  the  courfe  of 
navies  upon  the  ocean. 

IT  is  true  that  in  defenfive  war  onlj^ 
Mifs  Woolftonecraft  indulges  the  idea, 
which  even  Jhe  allows  to  be  an  enthufi- 
aftic  one,  of  feeing  the  exploits  of  ancient 

*  Female  Paflions. 

c 


26  .  I-ETILRS  Of 

heroines  renewed,  and.tlie  deadly  weapon 
direcled  by  the  hand  of  Beauty. 

THIS  idea  of  hers  is  undoubtedly  a 
moft  ingenious  one.  At  the  fight  of  a 
band  of  heroines,  beautiful  as  the  morn- 
ing, marching  forward  to  the  combat, 
what  warrior's  fword  would  not  drop 
from  his  hand  ? — what  foldier  would  not 
furrender  himfelf  a  prifoner  ! 

HAD  the  God  Rama,  when  he  led 
forth  his  army  of  Apes,  and  fpread  def- 
trucllon  among  his  enemies,only  exchang- 
ed his  apes  for  beautiful  virgins,  his  vic- 
tory would  have  been  lefs  bloody,  and 
his  conquelL  more  complete. 

AS  a  neccilary  preparative  for  the  fup- 
port  of  bodily  fatigue,  the  female  philof- 
opher  recommends  an  early  initiation 
of  females  into  the  athletic  fports,  and 
g^annailic  exerclfes  of  boys  and  young 
men. 

SHE  would  have  them  run,  leap,  box, 
wreftle,  fence  and  fight,  that  the  united 


SHAHCOOLEN.  27 

exertion  of  bodily  and  mental  energy 
may  produce,  by  myfterious  cooperation ^ 
that  amazing  force  of  character,  of  which 
fhe  fuppofes  her  fex  to  be  capable. 

SHE  even  recommends  that  thefe  fports 
fliould  be  mutually  ihared  between  girls 
and  boys,  that  the  diftindion  of  fex  may 
remain  concealed,  until  the  phyfical  pro- 
grefs  of  the  body,  calling  into  operation 
the  latent  paflions,  fliall  difcovcr  the  won- 
derful fecret. 

THIS  ftrange  philofopher,  my  dear  El 
HaiTan,  has  detained  me,  by  the  novelty 
of  her  doctrines,  longi-er  than  I  intended. 
Perhaps  in  fome  future  communication, 
I  may  notice  fome  of  her  remaining  ten- 
ets ;  and  I  intend  particularly  to  delineate 
the  practical  influence,  v/hich  they  have 
already  acquired  over  the  female  fex  in 
this  country. 

KEEP  this  philofophy  a  profound  fe- 
cret from  the  fair  daughters  of  Hinduf- 
rtan,  for,  thou  canft  not  divine  what  in- 


a8 


LETTERS  OF 


fiuence  its  novelty,  and  the  idea  of  inde- 
pendence on  man  may  have  over  the 
heart  even  of  the  modeft,  unaffuming 
Hindu. 

SALUTATION  to  the  great  Ganesa. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ?9 


^letter  2D!)iro. 


DEAR  EL  HASSAN,  FRIEND  OF  MY  HEART, 

1  HAVE  not  yet  detailed  all  the  par- 
adoxes of  the  female  philofopher,  to  whofe 
acquaintance  I  have  lately  introduced 
thee. 

I  HAVE  before  faid  that  fhe  ridicules 
the  idea  of  female  modefty.  To  prove 
that  her  energies  are  not  cramped  by  fo 
embarraffing  a  reftraint,  (lie  writes  with 
the  moft  difguiling  coarfenefs,  upon  fub- 
jecls,  which  are  ftudioufly  excluded  from 
mod  eft  focieties,  and  refer  ved  by  com- 
mon confent,  for  the  inveftigation  of  men 
of  fcience. 

SHE  even  informs  the  world,  that  fhe 
has  been  prefent  at  anatomical,  chirurg- 
ical  and  obftetrick  lectures,  converfations 
and  experiments,  where  the  various  parts 
of  the  human  body  have  been  diffecled, 
;and  their  nfes  defcanted  upon  j  and  ail 

C2 


30  LETTERS  OF 

this  flie  has  witneiTed,  without  a  bluQi, 
and  without  a  painful  emotion.  She  does 
not  doubt,  that  every  female  may,  in  the 
fame  manner,  free  herfelf  from  the  fac- 
titious weaknefs  of  education,  and  ac- 
quire that  hardihood  of  character,  which 
fhall  forever  free  her  from  the  unphilofo- 
phical  habit  of  blufhing. 

WITH  the  utmoft  indifference,  flie  en- 
ters upon  a  difquifition  concerning  the 
caufes  of  the  greater  number  of  women 
than  of  men  in  Africa,  calmly  afcribing 
the  fa6l  to  polygamy,  which,  ilie  fays, 
enervates  the  phyfical  energies  of  the  men, 
and  thereby  incapacitates  them  from  be- 
coming the  fathers  of  fo  many  fons^  as 
they  otherwife  would ;  for,  ftie  alTumes 
it  as  a  principle,  that  the  fex  of  an  anir 
mal  is  determined,  by  the  predominant 
energj  of  one  parent  over  that  of  the  other, 
7iatiire  deligliting,  univerfally,  to  produce 


its  own  image. 


POLYGAMY,  thus,  according  to^  her 
theory,  wherever  it  is  already  ellablifhed, 
produces  an  excefs  of  women  ^  and  each 


SHAHCOOLEN.  jx 

individual  woman  demanding  the  gallan- 
tries of  the  men,  polygamy  is  neceffarily 
continued. 

SUCH  are  the  fubjecls,  and  fuch  is  the 
method  of  treating  them,  recommended 
by  the  new  philofophy  to  its  female  dif- 
ciples. 

MISS  Woolftonecraft  is  extremely  anx- 
ious to  eftablifti  the  idea,  that  feduced 
and  dilhonored  females  are  ftill  entitled 
to  the  regard  of  fociety,  efpecially  if  they 
continue  "  faithful  to  the  father  of  their 
children^^  whether  that  father  is  a  huf- 
band,  or  merely  a  gallant.  In  other 
words,  ihe  would  efteem  a  kept  mijirefsy 
(fuch  as  flie  was  herfelf )  entitled  to  equal 
refpecl  and  attention  as  the  faithful  wife. 

IT  requires  no  great  acutenefs  to  dif- 
cern  the  reafon  why  Mary  labored  to  ef- 
tablifti this  doftrine.  She  was  herfelf  a 
levod  woman ;  and  unlefs  lewd  women  could 
be  made  refpeclable,  flie  was  confcious 
that  flie  muft  alfo  yield  to  that  infamy, 
which  well  regulated  focieties  univerfally 
throw  upon  female  impurity.     After  be^ 


34  LETTERS  OF 

ing  engaged  in  feveral  open  and  fhameful 
amours,  particularly  with  a  Mr.  hnlay^ 
an  American  gentleman,  and  Mr.  Fufeliy 
an  Italian,  Mifs  Wooljlone crafty  toward  the 
clofe  of  her  life,  married  one  William 
Godwin,  having  previoully  cohabited 
with  him  feveral  months.  This  man  has 
written  her  hiftory,  in  which,  fo  far  from 
expreffing  any  remorfe  on  account  of  his 
connedion  with  fo  abandoned  a  woman, 
he  celebrates,  in  ftrains  of  philofophical 
eulogium,  the  purity  of  her  mind,  and 
the  ardor  of  her  affedions.  Her  amours 
he  calls  affairs  of  the  hearty  and  her  gal- 
lants fenfimental  lovers, 

THIS  Godwin,  you  muft  know,  is 
one  of  the  new  philofophers.  Of  him, 
and  his  works  I  may  poffibly,  hereafter, 
take  fome  notice,  as  he  has  diftinguifhed 
himfelf  above  his  fellows  for  the  fyftemat- 
kal  abfurdity,  and  extravagant  folly  of  his 
wTitings.  For  the  prefent,  the  anecdote 
above  mentioned  may  ferve  to  give  fome 
idea  of  his  charader,  as  well  as  of  that  of 
modern  reforming  philofophers  generally* 


SHAHCOOLEN.  33 

ONE  trait  in  the  charafter  of  Mary 
WooHlonecraft  I  cannot  omit. 

ALTHOUGH  flie  profeffcs  fome  general 
regard  for  religion  and  an  over  ruling 
power,  ftill  fhe  difclaims  the  moft  effen- 
tial  parts  of  the  religion  of  her  country, 
and  leaves  us  entirely  in  doubt  whether 
flie  had  any  fyftem  of  belief  or  not. 

I  HAVE  already  informed  thee,  my 
dear  El  Haflan,  that  the  people  of  this 
country  have  a  book  iimilar  to  our  Veda 
and  Shahjiahy  which  they  call  the  Bible. 
This  book  contains  an  account  of  .the 
creation  of  all  things  ;  of  the  production 
of  one  human  pair,  from  whom  defcend- 
cd  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  ;  of  the 
deftrui^ion  of  all  creatures  by  a  great  del- 
uge, excepting  one  good  man  and  his 
family,  and  a  few  animals  of  every  kind, 
who  were  faved  in  the  ark. 

THIS  account  the  female  philofopher 
treats  with  contempt ;  flie  calls  it  a  poeti- 
cal Jlory^  and  evidently  allows  it  no  au- 
thenticity. 


i4  LETTERS  OF 

AND  yet,  thou  knoweft,that  ourhcYCL. 
books  contain  an  account  fimilar  in  moft 
refpecls,  although  fhaded  with  an  allego- 
rical meaning.  One  good  man  is  repre- 
fented  as  having  been  faved  from  the 
flood,  with  feven  other  perfons,  corref- 
ponding  with  the  number  mentioned  in 
the  Bible.  Our  books  relate,  alfo,  that 
the  gods  churned  the  immenfe  ocean  with 
the  mountain  Mandar,  and  raifed  from 
the  bottom,  by  the  force  of  fermentation, 
all  things  which  had  been  overwhelmed 
by  the  deluge. 

THE  Bible  relates  that  the  waters  re- 
tired by  degrees,  and  thus  produced, 
though  in  a  different  way,  the  fame  effect. 

THE  idea  of  future  retribution,  in 
another  flate  of  being,  Mifs  Woolflone- 
craft  ridicules,  treating  it  as  a  notion  too 
flavifh  for  the  belief  of  a  philofopher. 

THIS  is  another  idea  which  thou  know- 
eft  that  our  /acred  books  exprefsly  recog- 
nize, and  forcibly  inculcate.     Every  faith- 
ful Hindu  believes,  that  after  death,  fome 
fouls  will  be  fent  down  to  the  infernal 


SHAHCOOLEN.  35 

pits,  there  'to  fpend  a  dreadful  exiftence, 
among  frightful  ferpents,  and  all  the  hor- 
rible tortures  of  the  damned.  The  infer- 
nal deities  Seva  and  Cali,  who  delight 
in  the  inflidlion  of  mifery,  prefide  over 
thefe  dreadful  regions. 

TO  other  fouls,  thou  knoweft,  that  the 
God  SatycWrata  will  fhew  the  road 
to  inexpreliible  blifs.  To  the  vulgar, 
whofe  minds  are  incapable  of  the  fublime 
pleafures  of  exalted  intelledual  enjoy- 
ments, the  happy  regions  are  defcribed, 
by  our  facred  books,  as  being  the  abode 
of  the  moft  exquiiite  fenfual  delight. 

THERE,  perpetual  fpring,  crowne^ 
with  fruits  and  flowers  and  everlalling 
verdure,  dances  round  the  year  ;  "  the 
precious  Mujk  Deer^^  fport  in  the  Sandal 
Groves,  while  the  immortal  inhabitants 
repofe  on  the  fpreading  down  of  the  Lotos ^ 

or  dance,  in  fairy  ringlets,  to  the  mufic 
of  Naked. 

BUT  to  thee,  my  dear  El  HaiTan,  who 
haft  a  mind  enlarged  by  philofophy,  and 


36  LETTERS  OF 

refined  from  the  groflhefs  of  fenfuality, 
thefe  enjoyments  appear  trivial.  Thou, 
with  me,  wilt  rather  place  thy  future  en- 
joyments, in  thofe  exalted  pleafures  of 
the  underfhanding,  and  thofe  ftrong  and 
refined  afFedions  of  the  heart,  which  our 
philofophers,  of  the  Vedanta  fchool,  fo  elo- 
quently defcribe. 

ANOTHER  clafs  of  fouls,  thou  knoweft 
will  be  compelled  to  endure  the  fervitude 
of  tranfmigration  ;  inhabiting  the  bodies 
of  animals  polTeffing  characlers  fimilar  to 
thofe,  by  which  they  themfelves,  while  in 
life,  were  diftinguiflied.  Thus,  thou  per- 
ceiveft  that  the  idea  of  future  retribution 
is  one,  whofe  propriety  and  truth,  both 
our  education  and  reafon  ilrongly  enforce. 
Still,  it  is  defpifed  and  contemptuoully 
rejedbed  by  this  female  philofopher. 

ACCUSTOMED  as  thou  haft  been,  from 
thy  youth,  to  venerate  the  precepts  of  the 
aged,  and  to  honor  the  dictates  of  thy 
parents,  thou  wilt  be  ihocked,  that  a  phi- 
lofopher fliould  prefume  to  impeach  the 
propriety  of  thofe  fentiments.  But  ma- 
RY,  flrenuoufly  argues,  that  no  more  re- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ^7 

fpecb  fliould  be  paid  to  the  opinions 
of  a  parent,  than  to  thofe  of  any  other 
rational  being. 

THAT  any  one  fiiould  be  fubjecced  to 
the  control  of  another,  either  in  his  opin- 
ions or  conduct,  merely  becaufe  chance 
has  made  that  being  his  parent,  Ihe  de- 
clares to  be  highly  abfurd.  Thou  may^il 
be  able  to  judge,  how  far  this  new  phi- 
lofophy  conduced  to  the  happinefs  of  the 
female  philofopher,  when  thou  art  inform- 
ed, that  flie  attempted  to  deftroy  her 
own  life.  Repeatedly  did  flie  feek  the* 
oblivion  of  death,  by  throwing  herfelf 
into  the  Thames  ;  and  as  often  was  flie  ref- 
cued    from  a  watery  grave. 

THUS,  my  dear  El  Ilaflan,  have  I  ex- 
plained to  thee,  rather  more  copioufly, 
than  I  intended,  the  leading  features  of 
this  new  fyftem  of  female  philofophy. 

SUCH  extravagant  and  impious  fpecu- 

lations  could  proceed  only  from  a  phren- 

fied  and  extravagant  mind.    Accordingly, 

the  ftyle,  in  which  they  are  written,  is 

D 


38  LETTERS  OF 

obfcure,  rhapfodical,  and  often  wholly 
unintelligible.  The  figures  are  ufually 
daubed  with  extravagant  coloring  j  fha- 
dows  and  fubftances  are  joined  j  "  he- 
goats  and  foxes  are  yoked  together  ;" 
and  a  man  of  a  correct  mind,  and  a  digni- 
fied tafte,  will  be  fliocked  wTth  rhetorical 
abfurdities  in  every  page. 

"  SALUTATION  to  the  great  Ganefa." 
May  the  Almighty  Brumma  enlighten 
our  minds  with  true  philofophy,  and  pre- 
ferve  us  from  philofophical  madnefs. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  39 


^letter  i?ourt!). 


DEARLY  BELOFED  EL  HASSAN, 

1  HE  author  of  The  Rights  of  Woman 
has  not  been  alone  in  the  great  work  of 
corrupting  her  fex.  She  has  been  aided 
by  the  whole  band  of  modern  philofo- 
phers  ;  operating,  it  is  true,  according  to 
the  particular  fyftem,  which  each  propo- 
fed  to  himfelf ;  but  generally,  the  obj eel 
and  the  eflfeci:  have  been  the  fame. 

THE  influence  of  the  new  philofophy 
upon  the  female  fex,  has  been  more  ex- 
tenfive,  and  more  viliblc,  in  France,  than 
in  any  other  country.  It  is  one  capital 
objecl  of  this  philofophy,  to  decry  the  in^ 
ftitution  of  marriage.  Accordingly,  in 
France,  this  inftitution  has  been  render- 
ed almoft  ufelefs  by  the  facility,  with 
which  divorces  are  obtained. 

THE  theatre,  the  ftyle  of  drefs,  the  na- 
tional tafte,  and  in  Ihort,  the  whole  con- 


40  LETTERS  OF 

flitutlon  of  foclety,in  that  country,  have 
tended  diredly,  to  cherifli  a  fpirit  of  refin- 
ed voluptuoufnefs  ;  refined^  I  mean,  as  to 
the  variety  of  the  modes  in  which  it  feeks 
gratification,  but  rampant  and  uncontrola- 
ble  in  the  fpirits,  which  ftimulates  it  to  ac- 
tion. Of  courfe,  chaftity  has  there  be- 
come a  very  uncommon  and  unfafhiona- 
ble  virtue  ;  and  many  a  fair  lady  may  be 
found,  who  is  neither  maid^  ividow^  nor 
luife. 

THE  new  philofophy,  as  yet,  has  ac- 
quired, comparatively,  only  a  limited  in- 
fluence over  the  females  of  America. — 
But,  it  has  acquired  an  influence  already 
too  great,  to  efcape  the  notice  of  a  real  phi- 
lofopher. 

THE  females  of  Hinduftan,  thou  know- 
eft,  are  taught,  that  modefty  is  the  bright- 
eft  ornament  of  female  \Trtue  ;  and  that 
concealment  heightens  tlie  empire  of  beau- 
ty. Hence,  they  ftudioufly  veil  thofe 
charms,  whofe  expofure,  indeed,  fwells 
the  veins  of  the  beholders  with  a  torrent 
of  lawlefs  paffion  ;  but  foon  produces  fa- 
tiety,  indifference  and  difguft. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  41 

NOT  all  the  wanton  motions,  the  laf- 
civious  geftures,  and  the  rich  perfumes  of 
our  dancing  girls ^  whom  the  laws  of  Hin- 
duftan  allow  to  proftitute  their  perfons, 
to  fecure  the  chaftity  of  the  virtuous  part 
of  the  fex,  can  prevent  difguft  from  fill- 
ing the  breafls  of  the  beholders. 

BUT,  in  America,  although  the  women 
are  beautiful  as  the  fun,  with  complex- 
ions refembling  the  firH  bluflies  of  the 
morning,  and  perfons  graceful  as  the  poe- 
tical fillers,  who  wander  in  the  fpicy 
groves  of  Math'ura,  ftill,  the  new  phi- 
lofophy  has  induced  them,  in  many  in- 
ftances,  to  expofe  their  perfons  in  fuch  ^ 
manner,  as  to  excite  pafHon,  but  to  extin- 
guifh  refped. 

THE  flyle  of  drefs,  by  which  this  expo- 
fure  is  efFeded,  was  firfl  introduced  by 
the  theatres. 

FREQUENTLY,  whcH  attending  the 
theatre  in  this  metropolis,  I  have  feen  the 
mofl  beautiful  adlreffes  exhibit  their  per- 
fons, in  robes  of  lawn,  fo  tranfparent,  and 

yet,  fo  adhefive,  as  to  difcover  every  la- 
D  2 


AZ  LETTERS  OF 

tent  proportion  and  beauty.  In  the 
robes  of  the  other  fex  alfo,  they  expofe 
their  delicate  limbs,  and  vainly  emulate 
the  firm  flep,  and  manly  port,  which  na- 
ture has  denied  them. 

FROM  the  ftage  this  tafte  has  defcend- 
ed  into  private  life. 

OFTEN,  when  reclining  on  a  fofa,  by 
the  fide  of  a  fair  Jmerlcan,  I  have  thought, 
that  her  white  boforn,  fcarcely  veiled  at 
all  from  my  fight,  and  her  finely  propor- 
tioned limbs,  which  the  extreme  thin- 
nefs  and  narrownefs  of  her  apparel  ren- 
dered quite  evident  to  the  eye,  would 
have  excited  impure  emotions  in  any 
heart,  lefs  fubjecl  to  reafon,  than  that  of 
A  Hindu  philofopher. 

WHEN  I  have  flopped  in  my  walks,  as 
I  often  do,  at  fome  public  corner,  the  con- 
fined motion  of  the  limbs,  in  robes  fcarce- 
ly eighteen  inches  in  breadth,  has  enabled 
me  to  compare  with  great  accuracy,  the 
delicate  proportions  and  graceful  move- 
ments of  the  fprlghtly  fair  ones,  who  wan- 
der forth  into  the  ftreetsof  this  metropolif'* 


^HAHCOOLEN  43 

AT  firft,  1  fuppofed  thefe  females  to  be 
of  the  fame  clafs  with  the  dancing  girls  of 
Hinduftan,  and,  of  courfe,  concluded, 
that  the  ft  ate  of  fociety  in  America,  where 
fo  many  females  appeared  in  the  drefs  of 
courtezans,  muft  be  extremely  depraved. 
But  I  have  fince  difcovered,  that  this  drefs 
is  afTumed  by  ladies  of  pure  reputation, 
and  unqueftionable  virtue. 

THIS,  my  dear  El  Haflan,  may  be  call- 
ed the  heroifm  of  female  chaftity  :  For 
what  lady  of  reputation,  who  is  not  a  he- 
roine in  virtue,  would  dare  to  hang  out 
to  public  view,  the  iniignia  of  meretri- 
cious indulgence  ?  No  conclufion  muft  be 
drawn  from  thefe  facls,  that  there  are  in 
this  country,  no  ladies  oieafy  virtue.  Ma- 
ny fuch  there  are  \  but  they  cannot  be  dif- 
tinguiftied  in  the  great  cities,  hj  their  drefs y 
from  ladies  of  character. 

ANOTHER  efFecl  of  the  new  philofo- 
phy,  probably  imputable,  in  a  great  de- 
gree, to  the  influence  of  IVIifs  Woolftone- 
craft's  doctrines,  n>uft  not  be  paffcd  over 
in  filcnce. 


'44  LETTERS  OF 

THE  people  of  every  country  have 
their  own  peculiar  modes  of  profanenefs 
in  difcourfe.  By  profanenefs,  I  intend  a 
contempt  of  facred  things  ;  and,  in  thi^ 
fenfe,  every  people,  of  whatever  religion, 
may  be  profane. 

BUT  by  the  univerfal  confent  of  man- 
kin^,  this  vice  is  efteemed  peculiarly  vul- 
gar, and  wholly  without  apology. 

IN  women  we  always  expe^  delicacy, 
and  tendernefs,  and  of  courfe,  reverence 
for  the  Gods.  Whenever  any  of  the  grofs 
vices  of  men  are  found  in  women,  they 
are,  therefore,  peculiarly  difgufting. — 
What  then,  O  El  Haffan,  who  haft  ever 
been  accuftomed  to  hear  the  women  of 
Hinduftan, utter  the  awful  names  of  Brum- 
MA  and  Seraswaty,  with  uplifted  eyes, 
and  features  folemnized  by  devotion  ; — 
what  will  be  thy  aftonifliment  to  hear, 
that  the  females  of  this  country  profane, 
with  the  moft  flippant  levity,  the  name  of 
their  God,  ridicule  his  attributes  and  his 
worihip,  and  diftribute  curfes  as  the  com- 
mon compliments  of  an  evening.     Yet, 


SHAHCOOLEN.  45 

thefe  things  1  have  often  witneffed  in  this 
metropolis.  Not  unfrequently,  have  I 
heard  a  fair  one,  who  feemed  to  have 
been  born  for  tendernefs  and  love,  curfe 
her  fate  at  the  card  table,  damn  the  foul 
of  her  partner  for  his  inattention  to  the 
game,  fwear  that  this  was  the  moft  un- 
lucky incident  of  her  life,  and  grace  eve- 
ry exclamation,  by  an  impious  appeal  to 
her  GOD. 

ALTHOUGH  truc  to  the  holy  religion  of 
the  Bramins,  and  unfeduced  by  the  fyf- 
tems  of  other  countries,  I  could  not  hear 
this  impiety  without  horror.  My  blood 
chilled^  and  I  involuntarily  indulged  the 
idea,  that  the  creature,  whom  I  had  feen, 
fo  fair,  fo  delicate,  and  lovely,  was  but  a 
fiend,  difguifed  in  a  female  form,  to  give 
to  vice  the  borrowed  charms  of  beauty, 
and  to  enable  it  to  Ileal  imperceptibly  up- 
on hearts,  which  would  have  recoiled,  had 
it  approached  in  its  own  native  defor- 
mity. 

I  AM  told,  that  this  vice  exifted  before 
the  origin  of  the  new  philofophy  \  but  that 


46  LETTERS  OF, 

this  philofophy  has  given  it  a  moft  alarm- 
ing and  extenfive  increafe. 

WITHOUT  any  reference  to  its  horrid 
impiety,  did  the  fair  creatures,  who  ufe 
fuch  language,  only  know  how  com- 
pletely it  ftrips  them  of  every  feminine 
charm,  and  how  odious  it  makes  them 
appear  in  the  eyes  of  thofe,  whom  they 
are  moft  anxious  to  pleafe,  they  would 
furely  abandon  a  practice,  which  in  7nen 
is  ofFenfive,  but  in  woman  is  difguftingly 
fliocking.  Indeed,  what  can  be  more  un- 
natural,than  that  a  beautiful  virgin  jQiould 
utter  a  ligh  and  a  curfe  in  the  fame 
breath  ?  Surely,  a  man  of  modefty  and 
virtue,  will  turn  with  averlion  from  fo  un- 
natural a  being. 

IT  is  a  remarkable  fad,  that  this  prac- 
tice has  acquired  the  moft  extenfive  fway 
in  the  moft  genteel  and  poliilied  circles  ; 
while  in  thofe,  which  are  equally  removed 
from  meannefs  and  pride,  it  hardly  has 
an  exiftence. 

THE  athletic  exercifes,  which  the  fe- 
male   philofopher    fo    cogently    recom- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  47 

mends,  have  been  adopted,  in  America, 
only  in  a  partial  degree. 

I  HAVE  indeed  heard  of  a  great  Nabob 
in  this  country,  who  has  educated  his 
daughter  to  leap  a  fence  without  bringing 
her  clothes  into  contad,  to  vault  from 
the  ground  into  the  faddle,  and  even  to 
manage  a  mettlefome  horfe,  while  {land- 
ing upon  one  foot,  on  his  back. 

A  LADY,  alfo,  at  Salem^  a  town  far  to 
the  north-eaft,  in  a  Soubah  or  Diftrid, 
called  Maffachufetts,  initiates  young  vir- 
gins, into  the  invigorating  exercife  of  ikat- 
ing ;  an  amufement,  which,  in  an  epiftle 
from  Holland,  I  have  already  explained. 
One  would  fuppofe,  that  the  narrow  ap- 
parel of  fafliionable  females,  would  great- 
ly impede  the  exertions  of  the  fair  one's 
energies^  in  this  moft  ilippery  diverlion ; 
and  fliould  ftie  fall  headlong,  (an  accident 
which  often  occurs  to  boys,)  who  can  di- 
vine the  confequences,  which  might  en- 
fue? 

6,  EL  HASSAN,  my  friend !  how  would 
it  afFed  thy  heart  and  mind,  to  fee  thefe 


\t  LETTERS  05 

unnatural  practices  introduced  among  the 
daughters  of  Hinduflan  ?  Still  may  they 
remain  modeft,  timid  and  feminine,  and 
may  no  cold-hearted,  ferocious  philofo- 
pher  attempt  to  fubftitute  that  mafculine 
robuflnefs  of  characfter,  which  Mary  Wol- 
ilonecraft  inculcates,  in  the  place  of  that 
^delightful  tendernefs,  which  adorns" eVery 
female  adion,  which  enlivens  profperity, 
and  fmooths  the  pillow  of  grief. 


m 


SHAHCOOLEN.  49 


^letter  ^ift^- 


DEARLY    BELOVED    EL    HASSAN, 

Immense  oceans  roll  a  wafte  of  wa- 
ter,  and  unexplored  continents  ftretch 
their  regions  between  Shahcoolen  and 
thofe  he  loves. 

HOW  often  does  my  heart  figh  for  the 
fhady  bowers  of  Agra,  my  dear  native 
land  ;  how  do  I  dwell  upon  thofe  happy 
days,  when  in  company  with  thee,  I  wan- 
dered  in  the  flowery  vale  of  Cafhmere  ; — 
walked  by  moon-light  upon  the  banks  of 
the  ancient  Indus  ;  watched  the  revolu- 
tions of  the  bear,  and  the  fetting  of  Orion, 
from  the  top  of  Mat'hura  ;  vifited  the 
venerable  abodes  of  the  Bramins,  upon 
the  borders  of  the  facred  Ganges;  or  plun- 
ged my  limbs  in  its  purifying  waves  ?  In 
fearch  of  knowledge,  to  which  my  life 
has  been  devoted,  we  then  explored  the 
immenfe  regions  of  Hinduftan,  and  fur- 
veyed  the  inhabitants  of  Ceylon,  breath- 
E 


50  LETTERS  OF 

ing  aromatic  gales,  and  the  wretched  out- 
call,  who  gathers  gems  in  the  mines  of 
Golconda. 

TO  a  real  philofopher,  man  is  the  moft 
interefting  fubjecl  of  contemplation. — 
Majeftic  mountains,  magnificent  rivers, 
flowery  vallies,  and  boundlefs  landfcapes, 
occur  in  every  country,  and  are  prefent- 
ed  to  every  eye. 

EVEN  thofc  regions,  where  cold  and 
darknefs,  in  one  uncealing  night,  ufurp 
the  empire  of  half  the  year  ;  and  where, 
during  that  period,  the  eye  furveys  noth- 
ing but  one  boundlefs  wafte  of  fnow  ;  ftill 
enjoy  an  equal  period  of  day  ;  when  the 
fun  docs  not  fet,  verdure  fprings  upon  the 
hills,  animals  fport  upon  the  plains,  and 
birds  flutter  through  the  air. 

THEx,  perhaps,  the  Creenlander,  be- 
holding his  fields,  lately  buried  in  fnoWj 
but  now  verdant  and  beautiful,  feels  no 
lefs  delight  than  the  native  of  Orixa, 
who  reclines  beneath  bowers,  that  are  al- 
li^Mys  green,  and  iiftens  to  the  bubbling  of 


SHAHCOOLEN.  S'^ 

flreams  that  are  never  arrefted  by  froft  y 
and  while  contemplating  his  mountains, 
whofe  fides  are  verdant,  but  whofe  tops 
are  covered  with  everlafting  fnow,  or  fur- 
veying  thofe  huge  drifts  of  ice^  which, 
v/hile  they  lift  their  fparkling  turrets  to 
the  fun,  are  driven  by  impetuous  billows 
upon  the  rocks,  which  lie  concealed  in  the* 
ocean,  perhaps  he  enjoys  a  degree  of  plea- 
fure,  which  may  compenfate  for  the  v/ant 
of  vallies  fmiling  with  the  Lotcs^  and  hills 
fhaded  by  the  Vine. 

BUT  my  dear  El  Haffan,  although  my 
fenfes  are  perpetually  alive  to  tlie  charm- 
ing variety  of  natural  fcenes,  which  the 
face  of  the  earth  every  where  exhibits  ; 
Hill,  MAN  is  my  objecl,  for  I  my/elf  zm  a 
Man. 

MY  three  laft  epiftles  were  employed 
in  delineating  the  doctrines  of  the  new 
female  philofophy,  and  their  influence  up- 
on the  female  charader  in  America.  The 
remainder  of  this  epiille  I  fliall  devote  to 
an  exhibition  of  the  exifting  charader  and 
purfuits  of  the  female  fex  in  this  country, 


Si  LETTERS  OF 

diftributing  them,  as  far  as  poffible,  into 
general  claffes. 

THOSE,  whom  native  depravity,  or  the 
arts  of  fedudion,  have  expofed  to  the  de- 
gradation of  mercenary  intercourfe,  are 
comparatively  few  ;  but  ftill  they  are  fo 
numerous,  efpecially  in  the  great  towns, 
as  frequently  to  excite  both  pity  and  dif- 
guft. 

IT  is  certainly  a  jull  law,  although  it 
is  a  fevere  one,  which  virtuous  focieties 
univerfally  have  eftablilhed,  that  a  fingle 
error  in  the  great  article  of  female  purity, 
fhould  brand  its  unfortunate  fubjecl  with 
a  degree  of  infamy,  which  no  lapfe  of 
time,  and  no  future  courfe  of  virtue,  can 
entirely  obliterate. 

BUT  it  is  much  to  be  regretted,  that 
legiflators  and  patriots  have  not  eftabliih- 
ed  fome  fchool  of  reformation,  w^here 
thefe  unfortunate  beings  may  take  refuge 
from  guilt,  difeafe,  and  infamy,  and  by  a 
courfe  of  fober  induilry,  and  of  regulai: 
conduct:,  procure  an  honeft  fupport, 
make  fome  advances   toward  a  recovery 


SHAHCOOLEN.  53 

of  reputation,  and  fome  progrefs  in  real 
virtue.  But,  in  moft  countries,  they  are 
fhunned  and  abandoned  by  all,  except 
thofe,  whom  guilty  paffions  ftimulate  to 
feek  out  the  abodes  of  infamy  and  wretch- 
ednefs.  To  the  honor  of  this  metropolis, 
however,  be  it  recorded,  that  an  inftitu- 
tion,  founded  upon  the  moft  benevolent 
principles,  has  been  lately  eftabUfhed  for 
the  purpofe  fpecified  above, 

AFTER  we  have  excluded  the  infamous 
and  abandoned,  the  women  of  this  coun- 
try may  be  diftributed,  with  tolerable  cor- 
rednefs,  into  three  defcriptions. 

THERE  is  a  clafs,  whom  both  nature 
and  education  have  deftined  to  move  in 
the  humbleft  walks  of  life.  They  are  ig- 
norant, patient,  and  laborious  ;  common- 
ly faithful  to  their  families  ;  they  wear 
out  life  in  hard  labour  for  their  fupport. 
Their  time  is  divided  between  flavifli  fer- 
vitude,  and  iluggilh  repofe  ;  and  the  only 
recreation,  which  they  enjoy,  is  an  occali- 
onal  viiit  to  the  neighboring  women  of 
the  fame  degree,  when  their  vanity  is  gra* 
^7. 


J 4  LETTERS  OF 

tified  by  a  dlfplay  of  their  befl  apparcV 
a  little  iiohea  reci'eates  the  fpirits,  and  the 
village  ftories  employ  the  tongue.  On 
Sunday,  alfo,  the  day  of  worlhip,  they 
fometimes  appear  at  church,  where,  as  it 
ufually  happens  to  ladies  of  fuperlor  rank, 
nothing,  apparently,  engages  their  atten- 
tion lefs,  than  the  exercifes  of  the  day. 
Upon  the  whole,  this  clafs  of  women  are 
confined  to  a  fphere  of  life,  where  little 
can  be  enjoyed,  though  much  muft  be  en- 
dured. 

OF  the  two  other  claffes,  the  ladies  of 
quality^  in  every  thing,  but  the  degree  of 
happinefs,  which  they  enjoy,  form  the  per- 
fect contrail  to  tjie  one  lafl  defcribed. 

WITH  them  pleafure  ccnftitutes  the 
great  bufinefs  of  life.  Their  time  is  divi- 
ded between  the  tranfports  of  diffipation, 
and  the  liftleffiiefs  of  ennii}.  When  even- 
ing arrives,  the  fair  creature  rolls  in  the 
gilded  chariot  to  the  play  houfc.  There  the 
fplendor  of  the  lights,  of  the  fcenery,  and 
the  company,  wath  the  ftrains  of  the  mu- 
lic,,  and  the  tones,  drefs  and  acdon  of  the 


SHAHCOOLEN.  sf 

players,  lay  hold  on  her  fenfes,  warm  her 
imagination  to  rhapfody^  and  produce  a. 
temporary  imprelllon,  that  flie  is  tranf- 
ported  to  a  new  and  more  exalted  ftate  of 
things,  where  grief  is  defpair,  and  love  is 
extacy.  She  mourns  for  poor  Monimia, 
weeps  for  haplefs  De/demona,  and  glows 
with  rage  at  the  black  crimes  of  Mil- 
wood. 

ALTHOUGH  grofs  indcHcacy,  both  in 
drefs  and  language,  appear  upon  the  ftage, 
ftill  the  fair  one  joins  the  rank  applaufc, 
and  aids  the  guilty  triumph.  In  the  in- 
tervals of  the  play,  perhaps  flie  ogles  at 
fome  favorite  beau,  peeps  through  the 
lattice  of  her  fan,  while  flie  feems  to  hide 
her  face,  or  whifpers  fome  romantic  fen- 
timent  to  the  belle,  who  fits  next  to  her- 

AFTER  the*«play  flie  returns  home,  fick 
of  the  dull  fcenes  of  real  life,  longs  to  be- 
come the  heroine  of  fome  adventure,  and 
the  favorite  of  fome  gallant  knight.  She 
flumbers  on  a  bed  of  down,  and  beneath 
a  canopy  of  lilk,  till  the  fun  has  travelled 
halfway  from  the  dawn  to  the  meridian. 


56  LETTERS  OF 

Then,  languid  and  pale,  through  exceffive 
indulgence,  flie  redeems  time  enough 
from  fleep  to  drefs  for  the  evening. 

THE  circus,  perhaps,  opens  its  doors, 
and  the  delicate  creature,  who  would  have 
flirieked  at  a  fpider,  and  fwooned  at  a 
moufe,  flies  with  alacrity  to  fee  feats  of 
dangerous  adivity,  and  perilous  hcwrfe- 
manfliip. 

THE  circus,  my  dear  El  Haflan,  is  a 
place  where  men,  who  have  been  trained 
to  the  bufinefs,  mount  horfes  of  great  ac- 
tivity, which  are  driven  round  upon  half 
fpeed  within  the  circular  building,  where 
the  fpe6lators  are  feated.  While  the  horfes 
are  in  full  motion,  the  riders  vault  from 
the  ground  into  the  faddle,  and  back  to 
the  ground  again  ;  ftand  upon  one  foot, 
on  the  horfe,  with  the  toes  of  the  other 
foot  in  the  mouth  ; — fuftain  a  boy  ered 
upon  the  flioulder  ;  and  perform  a  thou- 
fand  other  feats,  the  fight  of  which,  to  a 
man  of  humanity,  is  painful  in  the  e:^- 
treme. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  S7 

THOU  wilt  afk,  what  there  Is  in  this 
amufement,  which  can  intereft  a  rational 
mind  ?  I  have  often  afked  the  queftion 
too ;  but  have  been  told,  that  I  had  mis- 
taken the  object  of  the  amufement  ;  for, 
it  was  invented  for  the  entertainment  of 
ladies  of  quality, 

THOU  wilt  hardly  credit  the  idea,  that 
ladies  fliould  be  entertained  by  an  amufe- 
ment, which  is  both  diftrefling  and  ind6^ 
cent ;  for  as  well  might  the  women  of 
Hinduftan  refort  to  the  vallies  of  Bahar, 
to  fee  the  unwieldy  movements  of  the 
elephants,  which  are  tamed  for  war. 

BUT  I  have  learned  from  an  accurate 
furvey  of  human  life,  that  there  is  no 
amufement,  however  foreign  from  the 
delicacy  of  the  fex,  and  no  drefs,  howe- 
ver indecent,  which  the  tyranny  of  fafh- 
ion  will  not  impofe  upon  ladies  of  quality^ 
in  countries,  which  have  not,  like  Hin- 
duftan,  wifely  regulated  the  contour  of  a 
garment,  and  the  diverfions  of  an  evening. 

IF  both  the  circus  and  the  theatre  are 
clofed,  perhaps  the  fair  lady,  when  the 


j8  -    LETTERS  OF 

firfl:  fliades  of  night  darken  the  vallies,  re- 
forts  to  a  gay  circle,  fips  hyfon,  nibbles 
half  a  bifcuit,  and  relates  the  perils  Ihe 
encountered  in  paffing  the  dark  paflage  at 
the  laft  play,  where  the  courage  of  Sir 
Chrijlopher  Lovelace,  faved  her  from  the 
lofs  of  her  flipper.  . 

THE  piano  or  harpficord  beguiles  the 
firfl  moments  of  the  evening,  but  pre- 
fently,  the  card-tables  are  difplayed,  and 
every  eye  is  fixed,  and  every  mind  is  in- 
tent upon  the  progrefs  of  the  game.  The 
iBckle  goddefs,  fortune,  flutters  from  fide 
to  fide,  and  feems  in  doubt  where  to  refl:, 
till  at  length  flie  fettles  upon  the  breaft  of 
fome  fair  gamefter. 

IT  would  be  difgufting  to  defcribe  all 
the  four  looks,  the  heart-burnings,  and 
genteel  curfes,  which  occur  on  both  fides 
of  the  gam.e,  before  the  clock  ftrikes  three^ 
and  the  harbinger  of  day,  founds  his  fiiriil 
clarion  at  the  approach  of  light, 

THEN,  thefe  ladies  of  quality,  with  ja- 
ded fpirits,  and  diftempered  minds,  retire 
to  feverifii  dreams,  and  broken  flumbers. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  59 

NOW  and  then,  an  idle  hour  is  fpent  in 
poring  over  the  page  of  fome  glowing 
novel,  or  extravagant  romance  ;  an  air- 
ing is  taken  in  a  coach  with  clofed  win- 
dows  ;  a  morning  call  is  made,  or  a  gild- 
ed fan  cheapened. 

THE  ball  alfo  difplays  its  dazzling 
fplendors,  where  elegance,  mufic,  and  lux- 
ury, reign  within,  w^hile  winter  rages 
without.  Here,  the  fair  one,  in  all  the 
pomp  of  drefs,  floats  down  the  dance  ; — 
while' the  fop,  a  gilded  /^z/^^f?,  flutters  by 
her  fide. 

THUS,  with  thefe  ladies,  life  is  one 
fcene  of  varying  diflipation,  with  fuch  in- 
terruptions only,  as  nature  imperioufly 
demands,  to  reftore  her  exhaulled  pow- 
ers. All  the  endearing  charities  of  mo- 
ther, After,  wife,  are  fwallowed  up  in  one 
wide  gulf  of  diflipation  ;  and  the  mand, 
barren  of  ufeful  information,  and  the 
heart,  deftitute  of  pradlical  virtue,  fall  a 
prey  to  defpair,  whenever  flcknefs  feizes 
on  the  conftitution,  or  old  age  deilroys 
its  youthful  powers. 


Co  LETTERS  OF 

o,  MY  dear  El  Haffan,  wouldfl  thou  fe- 
led  fuch  an  one  for  the  vnfe  of  thy  bo- 
fom,  or  the  mother  of  thy  children  ? — 
Would  her  fmiles  thrill  thy  heart  with 
joy  ?  Would  her  tendernefs  cheer  thy 
fick  bed,  or  her  endearing  converfe  be- 
guile thy  midnight  hours  ? 

BUT  the  other  and  remaining  clafs  of 
American  women,  is  of  a  character  en- 
tirely different  from  either  of  thofe,  which 
I  have  defcribed.  They  are  placed  above 
the  miferies  and  meannefs  of  poverty  ; 
and  below  the  vices  and  vanity  of  wealth. 

EARLY  imbued  with  virtue  and  mo- 
deflry,  they  are  rational,  domeftic,  and 
induftrious.  Their  life  is  divided  be- 
tween ufeful  employme^^t,  cheerful  foci- 
ety,  and  virtuous  and  moderate  amufe- 
ments.  Rarely  at  the  theatre  and  alTem- 
bly  room,  and  ?i€ver  at  the  circus  and  card- 
table,  their  pleafures  give  a  zeft  to  life, 
and  render  welcome  the  return  of  the 
fire-fide  happinefs,  and  the  family  focietv. 
Bufinefs  is  with  them  the  pleafure,  not 
pleafure  the  buiinefs,  of  life.  They  rife  to 
breathe  the  fweet  incenfe  of  the  m.orning, 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ii 

which  the  joyful  earth  offers  to  its  great 
Creator  ;  they  liften  to  the  matin  fong  of 
the  lark,  while  flie  mounts  into  the  clouds 
that  are  gilded  with  the  firft  effufions  of 
light. 

THE  volumes  which  contain  the  pre- 
cepts of  religion  and  morals ;  thofe  which 
unfold  the  fprings  of  human  adion,  and 
delineate  the  thoufand  fliades  of  human 
character  j  the  clear  page  of  hiftory  ;  the 
books  of  the  fine  arts,  and  the  treafures 
of  poetical  lore,  all  lie  open  to  their  peru- 
fal,  and  occupy  a  portion  of  each  paffing 
day. 

THE  domeftic  offices,  and  the  houfhold 
good,  are  not  forgotten.  Confcious  that 
the  family  is  the  great  fcenc  of  female  ac- 
tion, and  of  female  pleafure,  here  they 
concentrate  their  moft  ferious  thoughts^ 
and  make  their  moft  ferious  exertions. 

DESPISING,  alike,  that  contemptible 
fervility,  which  would  afcribe  to  them  the 
perfeclions  of  angels,  and  offer  them  the 
adoration  of  Gods  ;  and  that  unnatural 
fyftem  of  falfe  philofophy,  which  would 
F 


^  LETTERS  OF 

harden  them  into  mafculine  beings,  too 
proud  to  be  women,  too  weak  to  be  men, 
they  cultivate  the  feminine  virtues,  fweet- 
en  every  a6lion  by  tendernefs,  and  grace 
every  fentiment  by  love.  O,  my  dear  El 
Haffan,  wouldft  thou  not  feled:  fuch  an 
one  for  the  wife  of  thy  bofom,  and  the 
mother  of  thy  children  ?  Would  not  her 
fmiles  thrill  thy  heart  with  joy  ?  Would 
not  her  tendernefs  cheer  thy  fick  bed,  and 
her  endearing  converfe  beguile  thy  mid- 
night hours  ?    Salutation  to  Gane&» 


SHAHCOOLEN.  63 


DEARLY  BELOp-kt>  El  BA^SAIf^ 

1  HE  Poetry  of  a  country  is  among 
the  laft  fubjects,  which  a  traveller  is  able 
to  inveftigate. 

A  PERFECT  knowledge  of  the  language, 
not  only  in  its  radical  powers,  but  in  all 
its  delicate  beauties,  and  namelefs  varie- 
ties of  iignification,  and  a  complete  ac- 
quaintance with  the  geography,  hiflory, 
literature,  employment  and  genius  of  the 
nation,  are  indifpenfably  neceflary  to  one, 
who  would  fully  under ftand  and  highly 
relifli  the  Poetry  of  the  country  which  he 
vifits. 

THE  literature  of  Great  Britain  and 
of  Engliih  America,  is  enjoyed  in  com- 
mon by  both  countries.  Both  have  the 
fame  language  ;  and  fo  great  a  fimilarity 
exifts  between  their  laws,  inilitutions, 
ftat£  of  fociety,    and  national   purfuits, 


64  LETTERS  OF 

that  the  literary  productions  of  the  one 
nation  are  perfectly  underftood  and  relifli- 
cd  by  the  other. 

*  BUT  as  Englifli  America  was  planted 
by  Great-Britain,  the  latter  is  advanced 
far  beyond  the  former  in  every  depart- 
of  literature. 

WERE  I  to  attempt  a  complete  account 
of  Englifh  literature,  embracing  the  learn- 
ing of  both  countries,  I  fhould  indeed  en- 
ter a  moft  cxteniive  field. 

EVEN  Englifli  Poetry  alone  would  af- 
ford a  very  copious  fource  of  entertain- 
ment ;  for  the  Englifh  poets  are  very  nu- 
merous, and  fome  of  their  productions 
would  net  fuSer  by  a  comparilbn  with 
thofe  of  any  age  or  country. 

THE  names  of  Milton ,  Dry  den,  Shakef- 
fear  and  Pope  will  be  revered,  fo  long  as 
their  productions  furvive  the  ravages  of 
time. 

BUT  at  prefent,  I  intend  to  confine 
»ny  remarks  principally  to  theflate  of  po- 
etry in  America* 


I 


SHAHCOOLEN.  65 

TWO  centuries  ago,  Englifh  America 
was  peopled  by  a  favage  race  of  men,  in- 
tirely  deftitute  of  learning,  arts  and  laws. 
Within  two  hundred  years,  it  has  been 
populated  by  emigrants  from  various  Eu- 
ropean countries,  but  principally  from 
Great  Britain. 

IN  that  fliort  period,  they  have  in- 
creafed  to  more  than  5,000,000  ;  have 
built  numberlefs  cities,  towns  and  villa- 
ges ;  reduced  to  cultivation  a  country  of 
immenfe  extent  ;  eflabliflied  a  commerce 
with  every  part  of  the  globe,  and  accu- 
mulated wealth,  and  advanced  in  the  arts, 
to  a  degree,  which  no  human^mind  could 
have  foreieen. 

NOR  has  their  literature  been  entirely 
neglected.  Very  refpectable  proofs  of 
American  erudition  and  talents  in  many 
departments  of  fcience  can  be  produced. 

BUT  thou  knoweft,  beloved  El  HaiTan, 
that  we  mufl  not  look  for  great  efforts  in 
fcience,  and  high  attainments  in  arts  in 
a  young  country.    Such  efforts,  and  fuch 


6d  LEITERS  OF 

:utainnicrts,  are  exhibited  only  in  a  ma- 
ture ftate  of  fociety,  where  great  weaUh 
and  undivided  leifure  afford  the  means  of 
purfuing,  and  cherilh  a  difpofition  to  rel- 
ifli  the  moft  refined  fpeculations  of  fcience, 
and  the  moft  elegant  produ6lions  of  tafte. 

WE  might  therefore  have  reafonably 
fuppofed,  what  I  have  found  to  be  the 
tacl,  that  the  literature  of  this  country 
is  ftill  in  its  infancy.  In  fome  future  epif- 
tie  I  may  fuggeft  farther  remarks  upon 
American  literature  ;  but  I  will  now  re- 
turn from  this  cxcuriion  to  the  confider- 
ation  of  the  ftate  of  poetry  in  Englifli 
America. 

THE  poetical  produ^ions  of  this  coun- 
try are  not  numerous  ;  thofe  I  mean 
>vhich  are  of  confiderable  length,  and 
are  calculated  to  endure  to  future  gene- 
rations. 

AMONG  the  principal  are  the  Conqueft 
of  Canaan,  an  epic  poem,  by  Dwight ; 
the  Vifion  of  Columbus,  by  Barlow  ;  and 
M'Fingal,  a  burlefque  epic  poem,  by 
Trumbull 


SHAHCOOLEN.         .  67 

THE  Conqueft  of  Canaan,  was  written 
while  the  author  was  very  young.  It  ri- 
fes  in  many  inftances  to  high  fublimity, 
and  not  a  few  pafTages  might  be  feleded 
of  peculiar  poetical  beauty  and  refined 
Jiendernefs.  It  is  remarkable  that  no  paf- 
fage  can  be  pointed  out,  which  would 
give  offence  to  the  ftricleft  morality;  and 
its  love  fcenes  are  diftinguifhed  by  a  free- 
dom from  every  degree  of  licentioufnefs. 
But  the  poem  labors  under  a  difadvan- 
tage  from  its  being  written  in  rhyme. 
This  evidently  fubjedls  the  poet  to  much 
reftraint.  His  mind  appears  to  have  been 
ardent  and  vigorous,  and  his  imagina- 
tion fublime ;  but  his  conceptions  are 
cramped  by  his  poetical  fetters,  and  not 
unfrequently  labor  in  confequence  of  the 
poverty  of  language. 

HIS  rhyme  alfo,  from  the  length  of  the 
poem,  produces  an  uniformity,  which  is 
fometimes  unpieafant.— I  will  not  enter 
into  a  minute  criticifm  upon  this  Poem, 
but  content  myfelf  with  producing  a  An- 
gle palTagc,  which  will  give  fome  idea  of 


68  LETTERS  OF 

the  author's  manner  of  writing. — He  is 
defcribing  the  precurfors  of  the  final  dif- 
folution  of  the  world. 

"  Mid  thefe  dire  fcenes,  more  awful  fcenes  fliall  rlfe^ 
Sad  nations  quake,  and  trembling  feize  the  fkies. 
From  the  dark  tomb  fliall  fearful  lights  afcend ; 
And  fullen  founds  the  fleeping  manfion  rend ; 
Pale  ghofts  with  terror  break  the  dreamer's  charm, 
And  death-like  cries  the  liftening  worW  alarm. 
Then  midnight  pangs  fliall  tofs  the  cleaving  plains  ; 
Fell  famine  wanton  o'er  unburied  trains  ; 
From  crumbling  mountains  baleful  flames  afpire 
Realms  fink  in  floods,  and  towns  diflblve  in  fire  ; 
In  every  blaft  the  fpotted  plague  be  driven, 
And  angry  meteors  blaze  athwart  the  heaven. 
Clouds  of  dark  blood  fliall  blot  the  fun's  broad  light, 
Spread  round  th'  immenfe,and  fliroud  the  world  In  night. 
With  pale  and  dreadful  ray  the  cold  moOn  gleam ; 
The  dim  lone  flars  diffufe  an  anguifli'd  beam ; 
Storms  rock  the  ikics  ;  afflidbed  ocean  roar, 
And  fangyine  billows  die  the  fliuddering  fliorc."  &c. 

THE  author  of  the  Conqueft  of  Ca- 
fiaan,  has  written  feveral  other  poems.  I 
could  with  pleafure  copy  many  parts  of 
them,  which  in  my  view  are  highly  excel- 
lent ;  but  the  limits  of  this  epiftle  will 
not  permit  me  to  extract  very  copioufly, 
Take  the  following  beautiful  introduc- 
tion to  "  Greenfield  Hill,"  as  a  fpeci- 
men  of  the  author's  talents  in  blank  verfe. 


SHAHCOOLEN  4^ 

«  From  Southern  ifles,  on  winds  of  gemlefl  wing. 
Sprinkled  with  morning  dew,  and  rob'd  in  green, 
Life  in  her  eye,  and  mullc.  in  her  voice ; 
Lo,  Spring  returns,  and  wakes  the  world  to  joy  I 
Forth  creep  the  frailing  herbs  ;  expand  the  flowers, 
New-loos'd,  and  burfting  from  their  icy  bonds. 
The  dreams  frefli  warble,  and  thro  every  mead 
Convey  reviving  verdure  ;  every  bough. 
Full  blown  and  lovely,  teems  with  fweets  and  fongs. 
And  hills  and  plains,  and  paflures  feel  the  prime.** 

A  SHORT  poem,  called  Columbia,  by 
the  fame  author,  poffeffes  great  merit  ; 
alfo,  a  fatirical  piece  in  verfe,  lafhing  the 
critics,  who,  as  the  poet  conceived,  had 
treated  his  works  too  feverely.  Another 
fatirical  poem,  the  Triumph  of  Infidelity^  is 
uniformly  afcribed  to  the  fame  writer, 
though  never  acknowledged  by  him,  in 
which,  under  fictitious  names,  he  chaftifes 
feveral  great  perfonages,  diftinguifhed  by 
their  impiety  and  their  vices. 

THIS  author  has  publiihed  more  poet- 
ry than  any  other  American,  (except,  per- 
haps Frenau,  a  poet  remarkable  only  for 
the  quantity  of  verfe  which  he  has  writ- 
ten), and  although  his  countrymen  are 
now  divided  in  fentiment,  as  to  the  de- 
gree of  fame,  to  which  he  is  entitled,  it  is 


JO  LETTERS  OP 

probable  that  pofterity  will  judge  of  his 
works  with  that  impartiality,  which  is 
frequently  denied  to  a  living  author,  but 
exercifed  towards  him  when  he  is  lleep- 
ing  in  the  duft,  and  is  equally  deaf  to  the 
praifes  of  his  friends  and  the  reproaches 
of  his  enemies. 

THE  Vifion  of  Columbus  flows  in  eafy 
verfe,  generally  correft  and  poliftied,  but 
fometimes  mutilating  the  fentiment  for 
the  fake  of  the  rhyme. 

ALTHOUGH  Barlow^  does  not  exhibit 
the  ftrength  and  fublimity  of  Dwight,  he 
certainly  poiTefles  very  handfome  poeti- 
cal talents.  His  tafte  is  elegant,  and  ne- 
ver leads  him  into  bombaft  or  frigidity. 
If  his  poetry  does  not  rife  fo  high,  it  never 
finks  fo  low  as  that  of  fome  good  writers. 

THE  following  is  felecled  from  the 
defcription  of  a  ftorm  on  the  high  moun- 
tains called  the  Andes  : — 

"  While,  far  beneath,  the  fky-borne  waters  ridCi 
0*er  the  dark  deep,  and  up  the  mountain's  fide; 
The  lightening's  glancing  wings,  in  fury  curl'd. 
Bend  their  long  forky  terrors  o'er  the  world  ; 
Torrents,  and  broken  crags,  and  floods  of  rain 


SHAHCOOLEK.  72 

From  fleep  to  fteep  roll  down  their  force  amain, 

In  dreadful  catarads ;  the  crafliing  found 

Fills  the  wide  heavens,  and  rocks  the  mouldering  ground. 

The  blafts,  unburden 'd,  take  their  upward  courfe 

And,  o'er  the  mountain's  top,  refume  their  force  : 

Swift  thro  the  long  white  ridges  from  the  north, 

The  rapid  whirlwinds  lead  their  terrors  forth  ; 

High  rolls  the  ftorm,  the  circling  furgcs  rife, 

And  wild  gyrations  wheel  the  hovering  ikies  : 

Vafl  hills  of  fnow,  in  fweeping  columns  driven 

Deluge  the  air,  and  cloud  the  face  of  heaven  ; 

Floods  burfl:  their  chains,  the  rocks  forget  their  place, 

And  the  firm  mountain  trembles  to  its  bafe." 

BARLOW  has  publiflied  feveral  fmaller 
poems. 

HIS  "Confpiracy  of  Kings"  is  energetic 
and  glowing,  but  inftead  of  riling  to  that 
dignity,  which  its  title  promifes,  it  burfts 
forth  into  enthuiiaftic  afpirations  after  vi- 
fionary  liberty,  and  expires  in  philofophi- 
cal  raptures  of  univerfal  benevolence,  and 
mad  execrations  upon  crowned  heads. 

AS  the  writer,  who  has  refided  in 
France  for  feveral  years  paft,  has  become 
a  difciple  of  the  new  philofophy,  and  ab- 
jured the  religion,  of  which  he  was  once 
2ifrieji^  perhaps  fome  degree  of  the  odium, 


i%  LETTERS  OF 

which  is  heaped  upon  his  character,  is 
attached  by  his  countrs'men  to  his  poeti- 
cal productions. 

IT  is  therefore  probable  that,  at  fome 
future  period,  his  merits,  as  a  poet,  \%'ill 
bemore  juftly  appreciated,  than  at  prefent. 

THE  Mock  Epic  Poem  entitled  IM'Fin- 
gal,  is  a  high  inftance  of  keen  \^*it,  fevere 
iatire,  and  poetical  beauty. 

THE  author  poffeffes  a  mind  original- 
ly  ingenious,  acute  and  brilliant  ;  he  has 
drawn  in  to  his  aid  the  ftores  of  Grecian 
and  Roman  learning  ;  he  is  perfectly  at 
home,  when  upon  claffical  ground,  and  al- 
ludes with  the  moft  happy  familiarity  to 
the  higheft  monuments  of  poetical  genius. 

IT  is  impoilible  to  perufe  a  fmgle  page 
of  his  admirable  production  without  de- 
light. The  lines  which  open  the  fourth 
Canto  I  have  felected,  to  afford  thee  a  mo- 
ment's pleafure. 

"  Now  night  came  down,  and  rofe  fml  foon 
That  patronefs  of  rogues,  the  moon  ; 
Beneath  whofe  kind  protefring  ray 
Wolves,  brute  and  human,  prowl  for  prey. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  73 

The  honeft  world  all  fnor'd  in  chorus, 

While  owls   and  ghofts  and  thieves  and  tories, 

Whom  erft  the  mid-day  fun  had  aw'd, 

Crept  from  their  lurking  holes  abroad. 

On  cautious  hinges,  flow  and  ftiller 

Wide  op'd  the  great  M'FingaPs  cellar, 

Where  fhut  from  prying  eyes  in  clufter, 

The  tory  Pandemonium  mufter. 

Their  chiefs  all  fitting  round  defcried  are, 

On  kegs  of  ale  and  feats  of  cyder  ; 

When  firft  M'Fingal,  dimly  feen, 

Rofe  folemn  from  the  tuniip  bin. 

Nor  yet  his  form  had  ^v  holly  lod 

The  original  brightnefs,  it  could  boafl, 

Nor  lefs  appear*d  than  Juflice  Quorum, 

In  feather'd  majefty  before  'em." 

THE  defcription  of  MTingal's  tarring 
and  feathering  is  fo  humorous,  that  I  can- 
not forbear  extradling  it.       .  •     • 

*'  Forthwith  the  croud  proceed  to  deck, 

With  halterM  noofe  M'Fingai's  neck, 

While  he,  in  peril  of  his  foul. 

Stood  tied  half-hanging  to  the  pole  ; 

Then  lifting  high  the  pond'rous  jar, 

Pour'd  o'er  his  head  the  fmokins:  tar  : 
*     *  *  *  *    °  ..ii 

.    His  flowing  v/ig,  as  next  the  brim, 

Firft  met  and  drank  the  fable  ftream  5 

A  down  his  vifage  flern  and  grave, 

Roli'd  and  adhered  the  vifcid  wave  ; 

G 


74  LETTEkS  OF 

With  arms  depending  as  he  ftood, 

Each  cuff  capacious  holds  the  flood  ; 

From  nofe  and  chin's  remoteft  end, 

The  tarry  icicles  depend  ; 

Till  all  o'erfpread  with  colors  gay 

He  glittered  to  the  weftern  ray, 

Like  fleet-bound  trees  in  wintry  ikies. 

Or  Lapland  idol  carv'd  in  ice. 

And  now  the  feather-bag  difplay'd, 

Is  wav'd  in  triumph  o'er  his  head, 

And  fpreads  him  o'er  with  feathers  miffive 

And  down  upon  the  tar  adhefive." 

AGAIN,  the  defcription  of  the  procef- 
fion  : 

"Then  on  the  two- wheeled  car  of  flate, 

They  rais'd  our  grand  Triumvirate. 
***** 

With  like  devotion  all  the  choir 

Paraded  round  our  feather'd  'fquire  ; 

In  front  the  martial  mufic  comes 

Of  horns  and  fiddles,  fifes  and  drums, 

Widi  jingling  found  of  carriage  bells. 

And  treble  creek  of  rufted  wheels ; 

Behind,  the  crowd  in  lengthen' d  row 

With  grave  procefllon  clos'd  the  fliow.'*  &C. 

INDEED,  to  do  juftice  to  this  Poem,  I 
ihould  be  obli2:ed  to  tranfcribe  the  whole. 
No  Poem  of  American  compofition  has 


SHAHCOOLEN.  75 

gained  equal  celebrity,  and  commanded 
in  an  equal  degree,  the  admiration  both 
of  Europeans  and  Americans. 

HUMPHREYS  alfo  has  gained  coniider- 
able  reputation  as  a  poet ;  but  his  produc- 
tions have  been  ftiort  and  occaiional. 
Some  of  his  beft  pieces  were  written  amidft 
the  tumult  of  a  camp,  and  cannot,  there- 
fore, be  expeded  to  exhibit  the  accuracy 
of  a  clofeted  ftudent.  Although  fome- 
times  incorred,  he  exhibits  undeniable 
proof  of  poetical  genius.  He  was  at  once 
a  foldier,  a  poet,  and  a  gentleman. 

THE  following  is  an  extracl  from  his 
elegy  on  the  burning  of  a  town  by  the 
Britifli  troops.  It  was  written  on  the 
fpot,  foon  after  the  event. 

"  Ye  fmoklng  ruins,  marks  of  hofllle  ire, 
Ye  afhes  warm,  which  drink  the  te-irs  that  flew ;. 
Ye  defolated  plains  my  voice  infpire, 
And  give  foft  mufic  to  the  fong  of  woe. 

Howpleafant  Fairfield,  on  th'  enraptur'd  fight, 
Rofe  thy  tall  fpires,  and  op'd  thy  fecial  halls  ; 
Ho"w  oft,  my  bofom  beat  with  pure  delight, 
At  yonder  fpot  where  ftand  the  daiken'd  walls. 


74  liTTERS  OF 

Bot  tbcre  the  voice  cf  mirth  refouiids  no  more, 
A  Glent  fzdnds  thro*  the  ftrect  prevails  : 
The  dtHaiit  main  alone  is  hcai>d  to  tost. 
And  hoDow  chimnies  hcin  with  fuUen  gales. 

SaTe  where  fcorth'dElms  th'  untimely  foliage  ihcd, 
^Which  mfifing  hovers  round  the  faded  green  ; 
Save  where  at  twilight  penfive  mourners  tread 
Jifid  recent  graves  o'er  defolation^s  fcene." 

TKz  foMT  poets  whom  I  have  mention- 
ed are  fdli  in  the  vis^or  of  life.  The  three 
laft  are  natives  of  a  finall  province,  lying 
to  the  North,  called  Connectiait ;  and  all 
of  them  were  educated  at  the  fame  fchool, 
and  were  mutuall^i  companions  and 
friends. 

HOPKivsoNis  a  pcet  of  great  brillian- 
cy, elegance  and  v.it.  His  produffions 
however  are  Ihort  and  occafional.  Du- 
ring the  laft  war,  which  has  exifted  in 
this  coimtry,  a  plan  was  devifed  by  the 
Americans,  to  blow  up  the  Britifh  fleets, 
by  means  of  gowder  kegs.  The  coniler- 
nation,  fpread  aniong  the  Bridih,  by  feme 
cf  thefe  kegs  floating  down  the  Delaware, 
among  their  fldpinng,  is  moft  humoroully 
defcribed  bvHoPKixsoN,  in  **  The  Battle 


i 


t 


SHAHCOOLEN.  77 

of  the  Kegs."  It  would  be  doing  the  po- 
et injuftice  to  extract  any  part  of  it,  with- 
out giving  the  whole. 

IT  will  be  admired,  fo  long  as  a  taftc 
for  wit  fliall  exifl  in  the  world. 

LiviNGSTOxN',  as  being  one  of  the  firft, 
by  whom  elegant  verfe  was  written  in 
America,  deferves  to  be  mentioned. 

HE  difcovers  genius,  tafte,  and  univer- 
fally  juft  fentiments. 

A  POEM,  called  the  Power  of  Genius^  has 
lately  appeared  in  this  metropolis  ;  it  is 
of  unequal  merit  in  its  different  parts, 
and  has  hardly  pafTed  the  public  fcrutiny 
in  fuch  a  manner,  as  to  gain  a  decided 
character.  I  hefitate  not  however  to  fay 
that  the  writer  is  a  poet,  and  a  man  of 
genius. 

HE  is  not  always  perfectly  correct  in 
the  ufe  of  figures,  but  his  Poem  certainly 
pofifefTes  much  merit. 

TAKE  the  following  lines  as  an  exam- 
ple.   The  poet  is  eulogifing  the  moll  dif- 

G2 


7?  LETTERS  OF 

tinguifhed  bards  of  ancicHt  and  modern 
times. 

««  Amidft  his  native  wilds  and  mlfty  plains 

Sublimeft  Oflian  pours  his  wizard  drains, 

The  voice  of  old  revifits  his  dark  dream, 

On  his  fad  foul  the  deeds  of  warriors  beam  ; 

Alone  he  fits  upon  the  diftant  hill, 

Beneath  him  falls  the  melancholy  rill. 

His  harp  lies  by  him  on  the  ruftling  grafs, 

The  deer  before  him  thro  the  thickets  pafs  ; 

No  hunter  winds  his  flow  and  fuUen  horn, 

No  whiftling  cowherd  meets  the  breath  of  mom  ; 

O'er  the  Hill  heath  the  meteors  dart  their  light 

And  round  him  fweep  the  mournful  blafts  of  night. 

O  voice  of  Cora,  bard  of  other  times. 

May  thy  bold  fpirit  viiit  thefe  dull  climes  ; 

May  the  brave  chieftans  of  thy   rugged  plains 

Remember  Ollian,  and  revere  his  (trains. 

THESE  are  the  moil  diflingulflied 
American  poets.  Many  fhort  and  occa- 
fional  productions  have  fallen  in  my  way, 
and  fome  of  them  poffefs  a  high  degree 
of  merit ;  but  as  they  are  generally  com- 
mitted to  pamphlets  and  news  papers, 
they  hardly  furvive  the  revolutions  of  a 
year.  A  poem  of  this  kind,  however,  in- 
tituled the  Frefent  State  of  Literature^  pof- 
feffes  uncommon  merit,  and  the  doling 
lines  of  it,  fnall  alfo  cioie  this  epiftie^ 


SHAHCOOLEN-  79 

"  And  O,  fweet  Poefy  !  tJiou  nymph  forlorn^ 
Cold,  and  unheeded,  as  the  wintry  thorn  ; 
Still  may  thy  voice  be  heard,  where  Ganges  flows. 
Or  winter  fits,  girt  with  eternal  fnows  ; 
No  venal  fpot  upon  thy  robe  be  feen  ; 
No  luftful  paflion  wanton  in  thy  mein  ; 
Still  may'ft  thou  lead  with  thy  enchanting  ftrain, 
The  mimic  arts,  light  dancing  in  tliy  train  ; 
Fair  virtue  hail  thee  with  a  fifter's  eye  ; 
Love  own  thy  power,  and  pity  learn  to  figh. 
May  facred  truth,  from  thy  rich  wardrobe  drefs'd, 
Come  fmiling  forth,  of  every  charm  poiTefs'd, 
And  faith  and  piety,  upborne  by  thee. 
From  earth  afcend  and  bend  th'  adoring  knee." 

THOU,  my  dear  El  Haffan,  wilt  per- 
ceive with  pleafure,  the  allufion  which  this 
writer  makes  to  our  beloved  country. 
To  me  it  was  grateful  as  the  fragrance  of 
the  morning  to  the  early  traveller. 


8o«  .       LETTIRS  OF 


irrtn  ^rtatt^- 


DE.JMIT    EllcriD    II    EJIIJyf 

Knowing  thy  attaclmient  to  the 
Mufical  Krishen,  and  the  nine  tuneful 
G0PIA5  his  attendants  ;  and  remembering 
how  thy  foul  ufed  to  glow  with  celeftiil 
fire,  and  thy  tongue  to  roll  in  harmoni- 
ous periods,  I  enlarged  my  laft  epifde  by 
feveral  extracts  from  the  volumes  of 
American  Poetry. 

TO  thee,  my  friend,  who  art  both  a 
philofopher  and  a  poet,  it  cannot  fail  of 
affording  delight,  to  know  how  a  people, 
who  are  feparated  from  Hinduftan  by  one 
half  the  globe,  espreis  the  emotions  of 
paflion,  and  the  flights  of  fancy. 

BUT  American  poetry  is  as  different 
from  that  of  Hinduftan,  as  the  American 
himfelf  is  different  from  the  Hindu.  The 
poetry  of  every  nation  is  charaderiftical 
of  itfelf,  and  if  all  hiftorical  records  were 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ?j 

deftroyed,  and  the  poetry  of  every  coun- 
try preferved,  it  would  not  be  difficult, 
from  that  fource  alone,  to  difcover  nati- 
onal  characters. 

AS  in  my  laft  epiftle,  I  mentioned  the 
principal  American  poems,  thou  wilt  per- 
ceive, that  only  a  fmall  fliare  of  attention 
has  yet  been  paid  to  the  cultivation  of  po- 
etry, in  America.  This  does  not  arife 
from  a  deficiency  of  poetical  talents,  but 
from  the  flate  of  fociety.  For  I  have  con- 
verfed  with  many  Americans,  whofe  fouls 
were  elevated  by  the  pureft  poetical  fire  5 
whofe  minds  were  familiar  with  every 
dreadful,  and  every  pleafing  fcene  ;  who 
had  been  accuftomed  to  contemplate,  eve- 
ry thing  which  is  "  awfully  vaft,  or  ele- 
gantly little  ;"  and  to  v^^hom  nature  had 
opened  her  moft  copious  ftores  of  lan- 
guage. 

I  AM  told,  alfo,  that  their  fchools  and 
colleges,  frequently  exhibit  very  hand- 
fome  proofs  of  poetical  talents,  which  cul- 
tivation and  leifure  would  probably  ripen 
into  the  regular  poetical  charafter.     But 


Zz  LETTERS  OF 

every  man  is  here  a  man  of  bufinefs.  S<> 
"Vmiverfally  is  this  true,  that  no  American 
poet,  by  profejjion^  can  be  found  in  the  lift 
of  their  literary  men.  All  thofe,  who  have 
made  any  figure  in  poetry,  have  been  men 
of  bufmefs,  who  amufed  their  leifure 
hours  with  the  charms  of  verfe. 

NOR  does  the  public  tafte  encourage 
the  cultivation  of  poetry.  Party-fpiritj 
and  the  luft  of  gain,  rule  the  American 
nation  with  fuch  undivided  fway,  as  to 
engrofs  every  paflion,  and  inlift  every  pro- 
peniity.  The  meaneft  man  is  a  politician 
equally  with  the  greateft,  and  feels  as  if 
*'  the  weight  of  mightieft  monarchies,'* 
were  to  be  fuftained  upon  his  fhoulders. 

AT  fome  future  period,  when  the  ftate 
of  fociety  fliall  be  fo  much  matured,  as  to 
afford  literary  men  the  means  of  undivid- 
ed leifure ;  and  when  a  literary  tafte  in 
the  nation,  fliall  in  fome  degree  control 
the  prefent  ruling  paflions,  it  is  probable, 
that  poetry  will  be  fo  far  cultivated  and 
encouraged  in  America,  that  the  fame  of 


SHAHCOOLEN.  S3 

American  Poets  will  be  equally  great,  and 
their  names  equally  refpedable,  with  thofe 
of  Great  Britain. 

THE  natives  of  England,  and  of 
Englifti  America,  excel  the  Hindus  in 
ftrength,  and  clearnefs  of  reafoning.  They 
are  more  addicted  to  logical  and  mathe- 
matical inquiries ;  and  in  thefe,  the  En- 
glifli  have  acquired  an  unrivalled  celeb- 
rity, and  the  Americans  are  making  very 
handfome  improvements.  Indeed,  the  firft 
poets,  both  of  England  and  America,  are 
more  diftinguiflied  for  ftrength  and  fubli- 
mity,  than  thofe  of  Hinduftan  ;  but  they 
^re  greatly  inferior  in  that  delicious  lux- 
uriance of  imagination,  and  playful  ele- 
gance of  ftyle,  for  which  the  Perfian  and 
Hindu  poets  are  fo  remarkable. 

INDEED,  my  dear  El  Haffan,  when  I 
indulge  myfelf,  as  I  frequently  do,  in  pe- 
rufing  the  volumes  of  Hindu  and  Perfian 
poetry,  which  I  have  feleded  as  the  com- 
panions of  my  travels,  and  the  amufe- 
tnent  of  my  penfive  hours,  I  lofe  myfelf 
in  an  ideal  prefence  in  my  own  dear  na- 


84  LETTERS  OF 

live  land  :  I  fufFer  myfelf  to  be  deluded 
into  a  conviclion,  that  I  am  wandering  in 
a  fragrant  grove,  on  the  banks  of  the  holy- 
Ganges,  marking  the  refleclion  of  the 
moon-beams  from  its  dimply  waves,  and 
liflening  to  the  fongs  of  the  night-loving 
birds,  that  fing  from  the  fruit-dropping 
trees,  and  render  vocal  every  fpray.  Then 
I  ftart  from  my  dream,  the  charming  al- 
lufion  is  diffipated,  and  I  call  my  eyes 
around  upon  the  land  of  ftrangers. 

ALTHOUGH  the  fcenes  of  nature  in 
America,  are  lefs  luxuriant,  and  the  gild- 
ing of  beauty  is  lefs  fplendid,  than  in  Hin- 
duftan,  ftill  nature  has  here  exerted  her 
higheft  creative  powers  in  the  production 
of  every  thing,  which  is  marked  by  amaz- 
ing grandeur,  and  awful  fublimity. 

THE  rivers^  majeftic  in  their  origin, 
fwell  and  expand  in  their  progrefs,  till 
embracing  a  thoufand  tributary  ftreams, 
their  breadth  foon  mocks  the  ken  of  hu- 
man eye.  Rolling  on  to  the  ocean,  they 
viiit  a  hundred  climes  ;  they  behold  the 
painted  favage,  in  his  bark  canoe,  Ikim- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  85 

ming  the  furface  with  incredible  velocity, 
and  bear  upon  their  bofoms  the  weight  of 
navies.  Some  range  to  the  North,  and 
feek  an  outlet  beneath  the  polar  ficies  ; 
where  the  empire  oi  frojl  yields,  reluct- 
antly, to  the  fummer  funs  ;  and  w^here 
the  moft  powerful  torrents  are  arrelled  in 
their  channels,  and  chained  fail  to  the 
rocks.  Others  flow  to  the  South,  till, 
confined  by  banks,  that  are  covered, 
through  the  whole  year,  with  fruits  and 
flowers,  they  are  loft  in  oceans,  that  fpar- 
kle  to  the  vertical  fun,  and  roll  beneath 
the  burning  line. 

THE  mountains^  alfo,  flretch,  in  con- 
nected ridges,  through  immenfe  regionvS, 
and  hide  their  craggy  tops  in  the  clouds 
of  Heaven,  Their  fuinmits  are  gilded 
with  fun-beams,  w^hile  their  middle  regi- 
ons are  involved  in  florms  and  darknefs. 

IMP4ENSE  lakes ^  or  inland  feas,  connecl- 
ed  by  flraits,  border  the  w^hole  of  the  nor- 
thern frontier  of  the  United  States,  and 
conned,  in  commercial  relations,  coun- 
ti  .es,  which  are  as  remote  from  each  other, 
H 


H  LETTERS  OF 

as  the  Barumpooter  from  the  Indus.  Be* 
tween  two  of  thefe  lakes,  the  catarad  of 
Niagara  tumbles,  headlong,  from  the 
clouds  ;  a  white  column  of  170  feet  in 
height,  hangs  fufpended  in  the  air  ;  the 
fpray  rifes,  and  exhibits  the  rainbow  in 
all  its  beauty  ;  while  the  thundering  of 
the  torrent  drowns  every  other  noife,  and 
is  heard  in  diftant  regions. 

LANDSCAPES,  of  bouudlefs  extent,  and 
infinite  variety,  are  prefented  on  every 
fide.  From  the  top  of  a  mountain,  in  this 
country,  I  have  frequently  viewed  the 
furrounding  fcenes,  and  felt  the  poetical 
ardor  kindle  within  me  at  the  profpecl. 
With  one  glance,  the  eye  will  often  fur- 
vey  extenfive  and  luxuriant  plains,  cov- 
ered with  cattle,  and  rich  in  verdure  ;  ri- 
vers flowing  with  a  fmooth  and  undif- 
turbed  furface,  or  roaring  over  rugged 
bottoms  ;  hills  crowned  w^ith  orchards, 
and  Hoping  their  green  fides  to  the  fun  ; 
valleys  fmiling  with  m.eadows  and  flow- 
ers, and  fliaded  by  groves  ;  fliips  winding 
up  the  inland  waters,  and  breaking  from 
among  the   hills ;    towns,  villages  and 


SHAHCOOLEN.  87 

feamkts,  indicative  of  rational  life ;  and 
the  immenfe  ocean,  loft  at  a  diftance  be- 
neath the  incumbent  Iky. 

THESE  fcenes,  my  dear  friend,  it  is 
true,  are  not  peculiar  to  America.  They 
are  prefented  in  every  country,  but  on  a 
fmaller  fcale.  Here  nature  feems  to  have 
gloried  in  her  might,  and  to  have  put 
forth  the  higheft  efforts  of  creative  ener- 
gy. Such  fcenes  are  calculated  to  feize 
the  imagination,  and  hurry  it  into  poeti- 
cal enthuilafm.  This  efte<fl  1  have  fre- 
quently witneifed,  as  produced  upon  Ame- 
rican minds.  Their  poets  frequently  cele- 
brate their  rivers,  mountains,  cataracts 
and  plains  ;  and  there  is  no  room  to 
doubt,  that  at  fome  future  period,  the 
Am^erican  Farnajfus^  Goverdhan^  Illijpus 
2LXi(l  Ganges^  will  be  equally  confecrated  in 
poetical  ftory,  as  thofe  famous  mountains 
and  rivers. 

INDEED  there  is  no  deficiency  of  poet- 
tical  talents  in  the  nation  at  large,  and  the 
whole  natural  fcenery  of  the  country, 
tends  to  fill  the  mind  with  grand  and  fub- 


«S  LETTERS  OF 

lime  conceptions,  and  in  no  fmall  degree 
with  fenfations  of  beauty. 

BUT  fenfations  of  exquifite  beauty,  arc 
excited  more  powerfully  in  the  country, 
which  thou,  my  dear  El  HalTan,  inhabit- 
ed, and  which  I  ftill  delight  to  call  my 
own,  than  in  this,  or  perhaps  in  any  other. 
I  v>^ould  not  fuggeft,  that  Hinduftan  is 
deficient  in  fcenes  of  grandeur  and  fubli- 
mity. 

OUR  Ganges,  Indus,  and  Barumpooter, 
traverfe  immenfe  regions,  and  refrelh  the 
ocean  with  an  unbounded  profulion  of 
water  :  Our  Goverdhan  lifts  its  top  to 
the  clouds,  and  the  mountains  of  Kutt- 
ner  and  Gauts,  overlook  kingdoms,  and 
feparate  nations.  Our  landfcapes,  are  ex- 
tenlive,  various  and  beautiful ;  and  the 
ocean  appears  to  us,  alfo,  unmeafured  and 
unconfined. 

BUT  exquiiite  beauty,  rather  than 
amazing  grandeur,  is  the  diilinguifhing 
mark  of  the  fcenes  of  Hinduftan.  Where, 
in  America,  fhali  we  look  for  the  Lotos, 
that  fplendid  and  elegant  flower )  where 


SHAHCOOLEN.  ?9 

for  the  Betel^  the  Sajidal  Groves^  and  the 
precious  "  fiiujk  deer  ?''  Where  fliall  we 
find  bowers  equally  fragrant  ? — Vallies 
equally  verdant  and  vocal,  and  trees  that 
diftill  balfamic  Q-ums  ?  In  what  American 
clime  do  the  birds  tune  their  throats  to 
equal  melody,  and  exhibit  a  plumage 
equally  fplendid,  and  fhapes  and  motions 
equally  graceful  ?  What  American  ima- 
gination has  reprefented  the  God  of  Love, 
like  the  Hindu  Cama^  "  with  a  bow  of  fu- 
gar-cane  or  flowers,  with  a  firing  of  bees 
and  five  arrow^s,  each  pointed  with  an  In- 
dian bloifom  of  a  heating  quality  ?"— 
Where,  in  America,  can  we  find  efforts  of 
imagination  equally  fplendid  and  beauti- 
ful, and  flores  of  language  equally  copi- 
ous ? 

IN  fhort,  the  Englifh  and  Americans 
excel  the  Hindus  in  reafon  and  taile  j  but 
the  Hindus  leave  them  far  behind  in 
flights  of  imagination,  and  beauty  of  ex- 
preflion.  The  Hindus,  giving  way  to 
their  native  difpofitions,  fometimes  in- 
dulge an  exuberance  of  imagination,  and 
a  fplendor  of  expreffion,  too  great  to  en- 

H  2 


90 


LETTERS  or 


dure  the  fcrutiny  of  cool  reafon,  and  cor- 
redi:  tafte.  How  happy  would  that  poet 
be,  who  Ihould  combine  the  imagination 
and  copioufnefs  of  the  Hindu,  wir.h  the 
fublimity  and  correclnefs  of  the  Ameri- 
can ! 


>i 


$HAHCOOLEN  pt 


lUccer  Cig^ti. 


BELOF'ED  EL  HjSSSANj 

XjLAVING  devoted  my  two  laft  epif- 
ties,  to  a  confideration  of  American  poe- 
try, I  cannot  relift  the  impulfe,  which  I 
feel,  to  exhibit  fome  fpecimens  from  the 
volumes  of  Hindu  poetry  ;  that  by  a  com- 
parifon  thou  mayeft  be  able  to  judge  of 
the  propriety  of  the  fentiments,  which  I 
have  exhibited  upon  this  fubjed. 

THE  following  addrefs  to  the  Goddefs 
Seraswaty,  the  patronefs  of  imagina- 
tion, and  invention,  of  harmony  and  elo- 
quence, and  the  wife  of  the  God  Brum- 
MA,  abounds  with  beautiful  imagery,  and 
cxquifite  harmony  of  numbers. 

"  Sweet  grace  of  Brumma's  bed  ! 
Thou,  when  thy  glorious  Lord 
Bade  airy  nothing  breathe  and  blefs  his  power, 
Sat'ft  with  illumined  head, 
And  in  fublime  accord  |F' 


9»  LETTERS  OF 

Seven  fprlghtly  notes  to  hail  the  aufplclous  hour, 
Led'il  from  their  fecret  bower. 

They  drank  the  air ;  they  came 
With  many  a  fparkhng  glance, 
And  knit  the  mazy  dance, 
Like  yon  bright  orbs,  that  girdthe  folar  flame, 
Kow  parted,  now  combined, 
Clear,  as  thy  fpeech,  and  various,  as  thy  mind. 

Young  paffions  at  the  found 
In  fhadowy  forms  arofe 
O'er  hearts,  yet  uncreated,  fure  to  reign  ; 
Joy,  that  o'erleaps  all  bounds. 
Grief,  that  in  filence  grows, 
Hope,  that  with  honey  blends  the  cup  of  pain, 
Pale  fear,  and  ftern  difdain, 
Grim  v/rath's  avenging  hand, 
Love  nurfed  in  dimple  fmooth, 
That  every  pang  can  footh. 

Thee,  her  great  parent,  owns 
All-ruling  eloquence  ; 

That,  like  full  Ganga,  pours  her  dream  divine. 
Alarming  States  and  Thrones  ; 
To  fix  the  flying  fenfe 

Of  words,  thy  daughters,  by  the  varied  line> 
(Stupendous  art !)  was  thine  ; 
Thine  with  the  pointed  reed. 
To  give  primeval  truth 
Th'  unfading  bloom  of  youth, 
And  paint  on  deathlefs  leaves  high  virtue's  meed 


SHAHCOOLEN.  93 

Fair  fcience,  Heaven-born  child, 

And  playful  fancy  on  thy  bofom  fmilcd. 

Who  bids  the  fretted  vene 
Start  from  his  deep  repofe, 
And  wakes  to  melody  the  quivering  frame  ? 
What  youth,  with  godlike  mein, 
O'er  his  bright  fhoulder  throws  [flame. 

The  verdant  gourd,  that  fwells  with  ftruggling 
Naredi  immortal  name  ! 
He,  like  his  potent  fire, 
Creative  fpreads  around 
The  mighty  world  of  found. 
And  calls  from  fpeaking  wood  etherial  fire  ; 
While  to  th'  accordant  firings  [fings. 

Of  boundlefs  heavens  and  heavenly  deeds  he 

But  look  !  the  jocund  hours 
A  lovelier  fcene  difplay, 
Young  Hindol  fportive  in  his  golden  fwing, 
High  canopied  with  flowers. 
While  Ragnies  ever  gay 
Tofs  the  light  cordage,  and  in  cadence  fing 
The  fweet  return  of  fpring.*' 

THE  perfonification  of  the  "  feven 
fprightly  notes,"  in  the  firft  verfe,  is  bold, 
piccurefque  and  novel.  "  They  drank  the 
air,"  is  extremely  exprellive  of  the  influ- 
ence,  which  mufical  inflruments,  when 
played,  have  upon  the  furrounding  atmof- 
phere.     The  introdudion   of  thefe  airy 


f  4  LETTERS  OF 

beings,  into  "  the  mazy  dance,*'  and  the 
comparifon  of  them  with  "  yon  bright 
orbs,  that  gird  the  folar  flame,"  is  a  very 
Jiappy  mode  of  defcribing  the  apparent 
intricacy,  but  perfect  harmony  and  regu- 
larity of  fine  mufic.  The  power,  which 
mufic  has  to  excite  every  paffion,  is  fine- 
ly defcribed  in  the  third  verfe,  where  the 
"  young  palTions"  are  reprefented,  as 
ftarting  into  being  "  at  the  found."  Their 
perpetual  empire  "  o'er  hearts  yet  uncre- 
ated," is  elegantly  told  in  a  fingle  line. — 
What  can  be  more  concife,  and  yet  more 
glowing,  than  the  defcription  of  the  paf- 
fions  ? 

"Hope  that  with  honey  blends  the  cup  of  pain:" 
**  Love  nurfed  in' dimple  fmooth, 
"  That  every  pang  can  footh." 

THE  comparifon  of  eloquence  : 

«  That,  like  full  Ganga,  pours  her  ftream  divlne4 
**  Alarming  ftates  and  thrones," 

IS  in  the  higheft  degree  noble  and  digni- 
fied. 

The  Invention  of  Letters  is  finely  def- 
cribed in  the  fourth  verfe.     The  fifth  ex- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  95 

hibits,  with  all  the  charms  of  varied  num- 
bers and  appropriate  imagery,  the  pow- 
ers of  Nared,  in  inllrumental  and  vocal 
mufic. 

"  He  like  his  potent  fire 
"  Creative,  fpreads  around 
"  The  mighty  world  of  found, 
"  And  calls  from  fpeaking  wood  etherlal  fire  ;" 

THE  laft  verfe  is  animated  with  th^ 
higheft  powers  of  perfonification.  Th6 
Ragnies^  or  female  paflions,  are  reprefent- 
ed  with  great  propriety,  as  being  "  ever 
gay,"  and  iinging  in  cadence  the  fweet 
return  of  fpring." 

THE  hymn,  a  part  of  which  I  am  now 
about  to  tranfcribe,  addrelTed  to  Narayna, 
or  the  fpirit  of  God,  unites  Afiatic  beauty 
with  European  fublimity. 

"  Spirit  of  fpirits,  who  through  every  part 
Of  fpace  expanded,  and  of  endlefs  time, 
Beyond  the  reach  of  lab'ring  thought  fublimc, 
Badft  uproar  into  beauteous  order  ftart. 
Before  Heaven  was,  thou  art. 

Ere  fpheres  beneath  us  roU'd,  or  fpheres  above, 
Ere  earth  in  firmamental  aether  hung, 
Thou  fat'ft  alone,  till  thro'  thy  myftic  lore 


f6  LETTERS  OF 

Things  uncxifting  to  exiftence  fprung 
And  grateful  defcant  fung. 

Omnlfcient  fpirit,  whofe  all-ruling  power 
Bids  from  each  fenfe  bright  emanations  beam, 
Glows  in  the  rainbow,  fparkles  in  tlie  ftream, 
Smiles  in  the  bud,  and  gliftens  in  the  flower, 
That  crowns  each  vernal  bower. 
Sighs  in  the  gale,  and  warbles  in  the  throat 
Of  every  bird,  that  hails  the  bloomy  fpring. 
Or  tells  his  love  in  many  a  liquid  note, 
Whilft  envious  artift  touch  the  rival  firing. 
Till  rocks  and  forefts  ring  ; 

Breathes  in  rich  fragrance  from  the  Sandal  grove. 
Or  where  the  precious  Mufk  Deer  playful  rove, 
In  dulcet  juice,  from  clufl'ring  fruit  diftills. 
And  burns  falubrious  in  the  tafteful  clove  : 

Soft  banks  and  verduous  hills 

Thy  prefent  influence  fills  ; 
In  air,  in  floods,  in  caverns,  hills  and  plains. 
Thy  will  infpirits  all,  thy  fovereign  Mava  reigns. 

Blue  chryftal  vault  and  elemental  fires. 
That  in  the  ^therial  fluid  blaze,  and  breathe  ; 
Thou  tofling  main,  whofe  fnaky  branches  wreathe 
This  penfile  oib,  with  intertwifling  gyres  ; 
Mountains,  whofe  lofty  fpires, 
Prefumptuous,  rear  their  fummits  to  the  fkies. 
And  blend  their  em'rald  hue  with  fapphire  light, 
Smooth  meads  and  lawns,  that  glow  with  vary- 

[ing  dyes 

Of  dew-befpangled  leaves  and  bloiToms  bright, 


&HAHCOOLEN.  97 

Hence  !  vanlfh  from  my  fight 
Delufive  pidures  !  unfubflantial  fhows  ! 
My  foul  abforbM,  one  only  being  knows, 
Of  all  perceptions  one  abundant  fource, 
Whence  every  obje(5t,  every  moment  flows  : 
Suns  hence  derive  their  force, 
Hence  planets  learn  their  courfe  ; 
But  funs  and  fading  worlds  I  view  no  more  ; 
God  only  I  perceive  ;  God  only  I  adore. 

TO  point  out  all  the  beauties  of  the 
poem,  from  which  thefe  ftanzas  are  ex- 
traded,  it  would  be  neceflary  to  defcant 
upon  every  line  5  for  very  rarely,  I  be- 
lieve, has  it  been  exceeded,  either  in  glow- 
ing and  exceffive  beauty,  or  amazing  fu- 
blimity.  Thou  feeft,  my  dear  El  HaiTan, 
that  the  fpirit  of  Hindu  poetry,  has  not 
ceafed  to  animate  the  breaft  of  thy  moil 
faithful  friends 


93  LETTERS  OF 


SELOFED  EL  HASSAN, 


1  HE  attention,  which  I  have  lately 
paid  to  the  fubjecl  of  Hindu  and  Ameri- 
can poetry,  infenfibly  led  me  to  a  perufal 
of  the  /acred  books  of  this  country,  which 
I  had  often  heard  commended,  as  contain- 
ing the  firft  inftances  of  poetical  grandeur 
and  beauty.  My  labor  has  met  its  com- 
plete reward,  in  the  pleafure  which  I  have 
experienced  from  the  difcovery  of  feveral 
complete  books  of  poetry  in  thefe  facred 
writings,  and  of  numerous  palTages,  fcat- 
tered  up  and  down,  among  profaic  per- 
formances, which,  from  this  very  circum.- 
flance,  fliine  with  peculiar  beauty  and 
fplendor. 

A  SHORT  paftoral  Poem,  intituled  "The 
Song  of  Solomon,"  w^hich,  in  its  literal 
fenfe   is  a  celebration  of  mutual  love  ;  a 
reciprocal  and  highly  elegant  defcription 
of  the  graces  and  beauties  of  the  lovers  5 


SHAHCOOLEN.  99 

and  a  rich  poetical  painting  of  the  pafto- 
ral  fcenes,  in  which  their  loves  are  to  be 
enjoyed.  Confidered  in  its  literal  mean- 
ing, it  is  a  moll  elegant  and  charming  paf- 
toral.  It  has  all  the  fmiplicity  of  nature, 
bold  in  language  and  fentiment.  The 
perfons  of  the  lovers  are  beautiful,  grace- 
ful and  elegant,  as  they  came  from  the 
hand  of  nature,  without  the  decorations 
of  fplendid  ornament,  or  the  blandifti- 
ments  of  artificial  manners.  Their  fenti- 
ments  are  natural,  glowing  and  tender  ; 
and  their  mutual  afFed:ion  and  afpirations 
after  each  other's  fociety,  are  warm  and 
impaflioned  in  the  highefl  degree.  The 
fcenery  is  rich,  brilliant  and  poetical. 
The  objecls  mentioned  are  thofe,  which 
charm  every  eye,  and  footh  every  heart. 
The  delicacies  and  beauties  of  nature  are 
brought  into  one  view,  v/hich,  prefents 
whatever  can  delight  the  fenfe,  and  charm 
the  foul.  The  flyle  is  fimple,  but  harmo- 
nious and  elegant.  With  all  thefe  advan- 
tages, it  cannot  fail  to  intereil  a;  lover  of 
nature,  of  whatever  religion  or  country. 


loo  LETTERS  OF 

BUT  thefe  advantages  are  in  the  view 
of  the  Chriftians  the  leaft,  which  it  has  to 
boaft.  Their  moft  learned  and  pious 
Brahmins  agree  in  opinion,  that  this  beau- 
tiful poem  is  merely  a  figurative  expref- 
fion  of  the  reciprocal  love  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  Church  ;  and  as  fuch  they  read 
it  with  the  moll  devout  fentiments,  while 
the  profane  confider  it,  as  being  the  effu- 
fion  of  the  uxorious  and  poetical  mind  of 
Solomon,  which  delighted  in  the  contem- 
plation of  love  and  poetry. 

I  CONFESS  I  am  of  opinion,  that  the 
literal  meaning  is  not  the  true  one.  If  it 
was  really  the  daughter  of  love  and  poet- 
ry, why  has  it  found  a  place  in  a  collec- 
tion of  writings,  whofe  principal  obje^l 
appears  to  be  the  fubjugation  of  every 
natural  propenlity,  to  the  dominion  of 
the  foul  ?  Thou,  my  friend,  who  had 
often  perufed  the  pages  of  Hindu  and 
Perfian  poetry,  knoweft,  that  many  of  the 
moft  important  do6t;rines  of  the  religions 
of  Perfia  and  Hinduftan  are  conveyed  in 
poetical  numbers,   and  in   a   figurative 


SHAHCOOLEN.  lor 

ftyle.  The  literal  meaning  often  appears 
voluptuous,  but  the  myftical  is  holy  and 
elevated. 

ALL  the  charms  of  fociety,  of  love,  and 
X)f  wine,  are  drawn  in  to  aflift  the  fervor 
of  religious  affections  ;  and  while  the  im- 
agination of  a  voluptuary  would  revel  in 
intelleclual  luxury,  the  religious  mind 
foars  on  the  -wings  of  rapture  to  the  great 
Firft  Caufe. 

BUT  which  ever  opinion  may  be  cor- 
rect, with  refpecl  to  the  Song  of  Solomon, 
I  was  inftantly  ftruck  by  the  limilarity  of 
the  defign,  to  that  of  the  Gitagovinda  of 
our  charming  lyric  poem  Jayadeva, 

THIS,  thou  wilt  remember,  is  a  paftor- 
al  drama,  drawn  from  the  tenth  book  of 
the  Bhagavet,  in  which  are  celebrated  the 
loves  of  Chrishna  (called  alfo  by  feve- 
ral  other  names)  and  Radha  ;  or,  as  our 
Brahmins  interpret  it,  "  the  reciprocal  at^ 
traction  betv/een  the  divine  goodnefs 
and  the  human  foul.'*  Thou,  my  dear 
El  Haffan,  haft  been  prefent  with  me  at 
Calinga,  the  reputed  native  place  of  Jay^ 

I   2 


loa  LETTIRS  07 

adeva  ;  where  the  people  "  celebrate  in 
honour  of  him  an  annual  jubilee,  palling 
a  v/hole  night  in  reprefenting  his  drama, 
and  in  finging  his  beautiful  fongs." 

THERE  we  have  heard  the  mellifluous 
numbers  of  this  delightful  poet ;  while  the 
moon  has  liftened  in  the  heavens,  and  the 
fongfters  of  night  have  fung  refponfively 
from  the  groves.  The  poetical  painting 
of  the  Gitagovinda  is  rich  and  fplendid. 
The  colors  are  glowing,  yet  tempered 
with  that  mild  radiance,  which  foothes,  and 
relieves,  w^hile  it  delights  the  eye.  The 
descriptions  are  particular,  and  therefore 
precife.  The  tree,  the  flower,  and  the 
rivulet,  Hand  forth  to  the  eye  ;  every  ob- 
je(^  is  painted  in  its  own  appropriate  col- 
ors ;  there  is  no  unmeaning  rhapfody  and 
obfcure  daubing;  but  every  part  is  perfecl 
in  itfelf,  and  maintains  a  jufl  relation  to 
the  whole.  The  characters,  particularly 
the  two  principal  ones,  viz.  Chrishna 
and  Radh.a,  although  fmgular,  and  out  of 
life  (as  indeed  that  of  Criflma  ought  to 
be,  fince  he   is  reprefented,   as^  a   God) 


SHAHCOOI.EN,  k05 

are  conliftent  with  themfelves,  and  carry 
fuch  marks  of  identity,  that  th-ey  are 
inilantly  known,  wherever  they  occur. 

THERE  is  one  remarkable  difference  be- 
tween the  Hindu  and  American  tafte. 
The  Hindus  "  have  no  idea,  that  any 
thing,  which  is  natural,  can  be  offenfively 
obfcene,"  Hence  the  images,  ftatues  and 
paintings  of  Hinduftan,  exhibit  the  hu- 
man perfon  without  referve.  Thofe  parts, 
which  modefty,  or  guilt,  induces  all  civili- 
zed,  and  mofl  barbarous  nations,  to  con- 
ceal, are  by  them  expofed,  in  their  monu- 
ments of  fculpture  and  painting,  with  no 
more  fcruple,  than  the  hands,  the  arms, 
and  the  face, 

THIS  practice,  which  may  be  indicative 
of  great  purity,  or  excellive  corruption, 
originates  from  a  fet  of  feelings  and  ideas, 
which  exert  a  kindred  influence  over  eve- 
ry thing,  which  the  Hindu  fays,  or  does. 
Hence,  in  our  poetry,  there  is  often  found 
a  luxuriancy  of  defcription,  which,  to  na- 
tions who  have  been  accuilomed  to  a  dif- 


JP4  lj:tteti.s  of 

ferent  courfe  of  thinking  upon  thefe  ob- 
jeds,  appears  extremely  wanton  and  vo- 
luptuous. 

THE  Gitagovinda  of  Jayadeva  falls  un- 
der this  imputation,  in  a  certain  degree; 
although  thofe  inflances,  in  which  it  would 
be  cenfured  by  the  American  tafte,  are 
probably  lefs  cenfurable,  than  the  greater 
number  of  parallel  inflances  from  other 
Hindu  and  Perfian  poets.  In  order,  my 
dear  El  Haflan,  that  thou  mayeft  be  able 
to  form  a  comparifon  between  the  famous 
Gitagovinda  and  the  Song  of  Solomon,  I 
fliall,  in  a  future  epiftle,  extract  fome  paf- 

fages  from  each  ;  that  by  feeing  fpecimens 
of  both  thefe  favorite  poems  together, 
thou  mayeft  be  able  to  form  a  parallel  or 
a  contraft,  between  them.  But  I  muft  be 
allowed  to  extract  more  or  lefs  copioufly, 
as  the  feelings  of  the  moment  may  dic- 
tate ;  for,  upon  poetical  fubjefls,  I  often 
throw  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  fancy, 
and  fuifer  myfelf  to  be  hurried,  wherever 
it  leads.  Reafon  however  is  always  at 
hand  to  curb  the  excefTes  of  paffion,  and 


SftAHCOOLEN. 


toi 


the  wanderings  of  imagination.  With 
unceafing  afFedion,  I  am,  my  dear  El 
Haffan,  thy  faithful  Friend. 

m 


lo*  LETTERS  OF 


Jletter  Xmt^- 


PRAISE  TO  GANESA, 

BELOVED    EL    HASSAN, 


May  the  Goddefs  Serafwaty^  the 
patroncfs  of  imagination  and  invention, 
of  harmony  and  eloquence  ;  may  the  mu- 
lical  Krijhen^  with  the  nine  tuneful  Gopia  ; 
may  the  quiver-bearing  God  Cama^  with 
the  beautiful  Ragnies ;  may  all  the  pow- 
ers of  love  and  poetry,  and  may  the  im- 
mortal B  rum  MAhimfelf,fecond,  with  their 
moft  aufpicious  influences,  our  humble 
attempts  to  compare  the  literature  and 
poetry  of  diftant  and  diffimilar  countries. 

I  REMARKED  in  my  laft  epiflle,  that 
both  the  Gitagovinda  and  Solomon's 
Song,  have,  in  all  probability,  a  myftical 
meaning.  This  opinion  I  flill  believe  to  be 
corre<5l;  but  with  this  myftical  meaning, 
thou  wilt  perceive,  my  dear  friend,  that 
I  have  at  prefent  no  concern.  My  objeti; 
is  to  glance  at  the  two  works  in  the  char- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  lo? 

after  of  poems.  As  fuch  I  fhall  confider 
them,  and  leave  the  myftical  meaning  to 
be  explained  and  enforced  by  the  holy 
Brahmins,  to  whom  this  office  belongSi.^ 

THERE  is  certainly  no  impropriety  in 
thus  confidering  them  ;  for  the  poetical 
garb,  in  which  the  writers  have  thought 
proper  to  convey  their  fentiments,  may 
form,  with  the  higheft  propriety,  a  fub- 
jed  of  critical  eulogium,  v/hatever  recon- 
dite meaning  may  lie  concealed  beneath 
fo  fafcinating  an  exterior. 

THE  following  verfes  are  in  my  opin- 
ion highly  beautiful.  They  are  taken  from 
the  2d  Chapter  of  Solomon's  Song  : — 
"  I  am  the  rofe  of  Sharon,  and  the  lilly  of 
the  valley.  As  the  lilly  among  thorns, 
fo  is  my  love  among  the  daughters.  As 
the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  the 
wood,  fo  is  my  beloved  among  the  fons. 
I  fat  ^down  under  his  fhadow  with  great 
delight ;  and  his  fruit  was  fweet  to  my 
tafte.  He  brought  me  to  the  banqueting 
houfe,  and  his  banner  over  me  v/as  love* 
Stay  me  with  flaggons,  comfort  we  with 


Io8  LEITERS  or 

apples  ;  for  I  am  lick  of  love.  His  left 
hand  is  under  my  head,  and  his  right 
hand  doth  embrace  me." 

^  THE  following  verfes  are  diftinguiflied 
by  a  lingular  animation  of  fentiment,  and 
melody  of  numbers ; 

"  THE  voice  of  my  beloved !  behold 
he  Cometh,  leaping  upon  the  mountains, 
Ikipping  upon  the  hills.  My  beloved 
fpake,  and  faid  unto  me,  rife  up,  my  love, 
my  fair  one,  and  come  away." 

WHAT  can  be  more  beautiful,  than  the 
lines  which  follow  ? — "  For  lo,  the  win- 
ter is  paft,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone  ;  the 
flowers  appear  on  the  earth  ;  the  time  of 
thehnging  cf  birds  is  come  ;  and  the  voice 
of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land ;  until 
the  day  break,  and  the  fhadows  flee  away, 
turn  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe 
or  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of 
Bether."  The  mutual  eulogium,  which 
follows,  is  in  the  higheft  degree  rich  and 
glowing  : 


5HAHC00LEN.  109 

"  BEHOLD  thou  art  fair,  my  love  !  Be- 
hold thou  art  fair  !  Thou  haft  dove's  eyes 
within  thy  locks.  Thy  lips  are,  like  a 
thread  of  fcarlet,  and  thy  fpeech  is  come- 
ly. Thy  two  breafts  are,  like  two  young 
roes,  that  are  twins,  which  feed  among 
the  lillies.  Until  the  day  break  and  the 
fliadows  flee  away,  I  will  get  me  to  the 
mountain  of  Myrrh,  and  to  the  hill  of 
Frankincenfe.  Thou  art  all  fair  my  love ; 
there  is  not  fpot  in  thee.  Come  with  me 
from  Lebanon,  my  fpoufe,  with  me  from 
Lebanon.  Look  from  the  top  of  Amana, 
from  the  top  of  Shenir  and  Hermon,  from 
the  lion's  dens,  from  the  mountains  of 
the  Leopards. 

"  THOU  haft  ravifhed  my  heart,  my 
fifter,  my  fpoufe  ;  thou  haft  raviftied  my 
heart  with  one  of  thine  eyes.  Thy  lips, 
O  my  fpoufe,  drop,  as  the  honeycomb. 
Honey  and  milk  are  under  thy  tongue  ; 
and  the  fmell  of  thy  garments  is  like  the 
fmell  of  Lebanon. 

"  AWAKE,   O  north  wind,    and  come 

thou  fouth  J  blow  upon  my  garden,  that 
K 


it©  LETTERS  OF 


the  fpices  thereof  may  flow  out.  Let 
my  beloved  come  into  his  garden,  and  eat 
his  pleafant  fruits." 

THE  reply  is  not  lefs  tender,  ardent 
and  poetical.  "  I  am  come  into  my  gar- 
den, my  lifter,  my  fpoufe.  I  have  gath- 
ered my  myrrh  with  my  fpices  ;  I  have 
eaten  my  honeycomb  with  my  honey ; 
I  have  drank  my  wine  with  my  milk* 
Eat,  O  friends  ;  drink,  yea,  drink  abun- 
dantly,  O  my  beloved." 

"  MY  beloved  is  white  and  ruddy,  the 
chiefeft  among  ten  thoufand.  His  head 
/V,  as  the  moft  fine  gold  ;  his  locks  are 
bulhy,  ^«^ black,  as  a  raven.  His  eyes^r^, 
as  the  eyes  of  doves  by  the  rivers  of  waters, 
walhed  with  milk,  and  fitly  fet.  His 
cheeks  are^  as  a  bed  of  fpices,  as  fweet 
flowers  ;  his  lips  like  lillies  dropping 
fweet- fmelling  myrrh.  His  hands  are^  as 
gold  rings  fet  with  the  bery ;  his  belly 
is  bright  ivory  overlaid  with  fapphires. 
His  legs  are^  as  pillars  of  marble  fet  upon 
fockets  of  fine  gold.  His  countenance  is^ 
as  Lebanon,  excellent,  as  the  cedars.    His 


SHAHGOOLEN,  xu 

mouth  is  moftfweet  ;  yea,  he  isaltogeth=^ 
er  lovely.  This  is  my  beloved,  and  is  my 
friend,  O  daughters  of  Jef  ufalem*'* 

THE  prevailing  charaderlftlcs  of  this 
Poem  are  delicacy,  tichnefs  and  beauty  ; 
but  the  following  paffages  partake  in  no 
fmall  degree  of  grandeur  : 

"  THOU  art  beautiful,  O  my  love,  as 
Tirzah  ;  comely,  as  Jerufalem  5  terrible, 
as  an  army  with  banners. 

"  WHO  is  {he,  that  looketh  forth,  as  the 
morning ;  fair,  as  the  moon,  clear,  as  the 
fun,  and  terrible,  as  an  army  with  banners." 

AGAIN  the  Poem  .returns  to  its  ufual 
beauty  and  elegance. 

"  HOW  beautiful  are  thy  feet  with  flioes, 
O  Princes'  daughters  !  Thy  two  breafts 
are,  like  two  young  roes,  that  are  twins. 
Thine  head  upon  thee  is  Uke  Carmel,  and 
the  hair  of  thine  head  like  purple  ;  the 
king  is  held  in  the  galleries.  Hc>w  fair 
and  how  pleafant  art  thou,  O  love,  for  de- 
lights !     This  thy  ftature  is,  like  to  a  palm 


iia  LETTERS  OF 

tree,  and  thy  breaft  to  clufters  of  grapes. 
I  faid,  I  will  go  up  to  the  palm  tree  ;  I  will 
take  hold  of  the  boughs  thereof.  Now  al- 
fo  thy  breafts  fhall  be,  as  clufters  of  the 
vine,  and  the  fmell  of  thy  nofe,  like  ap- 
ples \  and  the  roof  of  thy  mouth,  like  the 
beft  wine,  for  my  beloved,  that  goeth 
down  fweetly,  caufing  the  lips  of  thofe, 
that  are  aileep  to  fpeak.  Let  us  get  up 
early  to  the  vineyards  ;  let  us  fee  if  the 
vine  flourilli,  whether  the  tender  grape 
appear,  and  the  pomegranates  put  forth ; 
for  there  will  I  give  thee  my  loves. 
The  mandrakes  give  a  fmell,  and  at 
our  gates  are  all  manner  of  pleafant 
fruits^  new  and  old,  which  I  have  laid 
np  for  thee,  O  my  beloved." 

THESE,  my  dear  El  Haffan,  are  fome 
fpecimens  of  this  beautiful  Poem.  I  could 
not  have  tranfcribed  any  part,  which  is 
not  fraught  with  peculiar  beauty.  In- 
deed, if  1  had  gratified  my  own  incli- 
nation, I  fhould  have  tranfcribed  the 
whole.  In  my  next  epiftle,  I  Ihall  pro- 
duce   fome    fpecimens    of  the    Gitago- 


SHAHCOOLEN. 


"3 


vinda,  which  I  fear  will  fufFer  by  the 
comparifon.  In  the  eftimation  of  its 
merits,  the  peculiarities  of  the  Hindu 
tafte  fliould  be  kept  conftantly  in  view. 


Ka 


it 4  LETTERS  OF 


^w 


%tttn  Cletjcntli. 


SALUTATION  TO  GANESA, 
BELOFED  EL  HASSAN,  FRIEND  OF  MY  HEART, 

xIlS  the  pilgrim,  who  having  traver- 
fed  immenfe  defarts,  where  no  verdure 
fprings  to  cheer  the  eye,  and  not  a  flow- 
er perfumes  the  fcorching  winds ;  arriving 
at  length  in  fome  green  vale,  where  ri- 
vulets are  enamelled  with  banks  of  flow- 
ers, trees  drop  balfamic  gums,  birds 
fmg  in  the  thickets,  and  fragrance  floats 
in  the  wind,  fl;ops  a  while  ;  and,  enchant- 
ed by  fuch  various  beauty,  lingers  till 
evening  ;  fo  I,  having  arrived  in  the  Ely- 
flan  regions  of  poetry  and  imagination, 
not  content  to  flay  an  hour,  and  then  de- 
part, fl;ill  love  to  ramble  into  every  grove, 
and  to  trace  the  beauties  of  every  prof- 
peft. 

AS  my  lafl:  contained  fome  of  the  ma- 
ny beauties  of  Solomon's  Song,  it  now 
remains  to  exhibit  fome  fpecimens  of  the 


SHAHCOOLEN  115 

Gitagovinda.  Thou,  my  friend,  wilt  re- 
member, that  the  fubjed  of  this  Poem  is 
the  loves  of  Radha  and  Chrishna. 
Chrifhna  is  called  through  the  poem  by 
feveral  other  names,  as  Herl,  Madhwva^ 
the  vanquiflier  of  the  demon  Ceft^  the 
deftroyer  of  Can/a,  &c. 

THE  introdudory  lines  of  the  Poem 
inform  the  reader  of  the  fubjecl."'^ 

"  THE  firmament  is  obfcured  by 
clouds  ;  the  woodlands  are  black  with 
Ta?nala  trees.    That  youth,  who  roves  in 

*  The  Jiory  of  the  following  poem  is  limply  this.  Chrish- 
na or  "  the  divine  goodnefs,"  having  defcended  from  heaven, 
wanders  about  in  the  foreft,  at  the  twilight,  waiting  for  Rad- 
ha or  "  the  human  foul,  to  come  forth  'voluntarily,  and  folicit 
him  to  enter  her  cottage,  and  fhare  its  hofpitahty. 

Radha  delaying  to  go  forth,  Chriflina,  offended,  betakes 
himfelf  to  thofe,  who  are  more  anxious  for  his  prefence. 

Radha,  alarmed  and  almoft  in  defpair,  feeks  the  offended 
God  a  long  time  in  the  foreft.  She  feeks  him  long  in  vain  ; 
but  at  length  is  admitted  to  his  embraces  ;  although  this  is 
the  confummation  of  her  wifhes,ftill  fhe  exhibits  the  coynefs 
and  reludlancc  of  beauty  refolving  to  fubxnit,  yet  loth  to 
yield  its  independence. 

The  ardor  of  Chrifhna  reprefents  the  ready  difpofition  of 
the  "  divine  goodnefs"  to  be  reconciled  to  "  the  human  foul." 

The  "  officious  friend"  of  Radha,  probably  reprefents  the 
combined  force  of  an  awakened  confcience,  and  an  alarmed 
imagination. 

It  is  necefTary  to  remember  that  both  Chrifhna  and  Rad- 
ha are  called  frequently  by  other  names  ;  but  they  are  ealily 
diflinguifhed  by  their  a^^iom  and  fcntimcms. 


Ii6  LETTERS  OF 

the  foreft  will  be  fearful  in  the  gloom  of 
night.  Go  my  daughter,  bring  the  wan- 
derer home  to  my  ruftic  manfion.  Such 
was  the  command  of  Nanda,  the  fortu- 
nate herdfman  ;  and  hence  arofe  the  love 
ef  Radha  and  Madhava,  who  fported 
on  the  banks  of  Yamana,  or  haftened  ea- 
gerly to  the  fecret  bower." 

OBEDIENT  to  the  command  of  her  fa- 
ther, Radha  goes  out  into  the  foreft  in 

fearch  of  Crishna.  The  poem  then  pro- 
ceeds. 

*'  radha  fought  him  long  in  vain, 
and  her  thoughts  were  confounded  by  the 
fever  of  deiire.  She  roved  in  the  vernal 
morning  among  the  twining  Vafantis^  cov- 
ered with  foft  bloffoms ;  when  a  damfel 
thus  addreffed  her  with  youthful  hilarity. 
"  The  gale,  that  has  wantoned  round  the 
beautiful  clove  plants,  breathes  now  from 
the  hills  of  Maylaya,  The  Tamala^  with 
leaves  dark  and  odorous,  claims  a  tribute 
from  the  mulk,  which  it  vanquiflies.  See 
the  bunches  of  Patali  flowers  filled  with 
bees,  like  the  quiver  of  Smara^  full  of 


SHAHCOOLEN.  117 

fliafts  ;  while  the  J?nra  tree,  with  bloom- 
ing treffes,  is  embraced  by  the  gay  creeper 
Jti?7iuda,2ind  the  blue  ftreams  of  Tamuna^^ 
wind  round  the  groves  of  Vrindavan*  In 
this  charming  feafon^  which  gives  pain  iofep- 
crated  lovers^  young  Heri /ports  and  dances 
with  a  company  of  damfels*^ 

THE  jealous  Radha  gave  no  anfwer  ; 
and  foon  after,  her  officious  friend,  per- 
ceiving the  foe  of  Mura  in  the  for  eft,  ea- 
ger for  the  rapturous  embraces  of  the 
herdfmen's  daughters,  with  whom  he  was 
dancing,  thus  again  addreffed  his  forgot- 
ten miftrefs. 

"  WITH  a  frarland  of  wild  flowers,  de- 
fcending  even  to  the  yellow  mantle,  that 
girds  his  azure  limbs,  diftinguilhed  by 
fmiUng  cheeks  and  by  ear-rings,  that 
fparkle,  as  he  plays,  Heri  exults  in  the  af- 
femhly  of  amorous  damfels.  One  of  them 
preffes  him  with  her  fwelling  breaft ;  while 
fhe  warbles  with  exquiiite  melody.  A- 
nother,  afFecled  by  a  glance  from  his  eye, 
ftands  meditating  on  the  lotos  of  his  face. 
A  third,  on  pretence  of  whifpering  a  fe- 
cret  in  his  ear,  approaches  his  temples 

*  An  Indian  river. 


jiS  LETTERS  OF 

and  kiffes  them  with  ardor.  One  feizes 
his  mantle,  and  draws  him  towards  her, 
pointing  to  the  bower  on  the  banks  of 
Tamiina;  where  elegant  Vanjulas  interweave 
their  branches.  He  applauds  another, 
who  dances  in  the  fportive  circle  ;  whilfl 
her  bracelets  ring,  as  fhe  beats  time  with 
her  palms.  Now  he  carefles  one,  and  kif- 
fes another,  fmiling  on  a  third  with  com^ 
placency  )  and  now  he  chafes  her,  whofe 
beauty  has  moft  allured  him.  Thus  the 
wanton  Heri  frolicks,  in  the  feafon  of 
fweets,  among  the  maids  of  Vraja^  who 
rufh  to  his  embraces,  as  if  he  were  plea- 
fure  itfelf,  aifuming  a  human  form  ;  and 
<^ne  of  them,  under  a  Dretext  nf  hvmn- 
ing  his  divine  perfetlions,  whifpers  in  his 
ears    "  thy  lips,  my  beloved,  are  nectar." 

'^  RADHA  remains  in  the  foreft  ;  but 
refenting  the  promifcuous  palTion  of  He- 
ri, retires  to  a  bower  of  twining  plants  ; 
and  there  falling  languid  on  the  ground, 
fhe  thus  addreifes  her  female  companion.'^ 

HERE  follows  a  charming  ftrain  of 
love,  refentment  and  forgivenefs,  which 


SKAHCOOLEN  119 

the  poet  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Radha. 
The  following  are  among  the  fineft  paffa- 
ges. 

"  THOUGH  he  take  recreation  in  my  ab- 
fence ^  and  fmile  on  all  around  him;  yet  my 
foul  remembers  him^  whofe  locks  are  deck- 
ed with  the  plumes  of  peacocks,  refplen- 
dent  with  many  colored  moons  ;  and 
whofe  mantle  gleams  with  a  dark  blue 
cloud,  illumined  with  rainbows.     Bring 

him,  who  formerly  flept  on  my  bofom,  to 
recline  with  me  on  a  green  bed  of  leaves 
juft  gathered ;  while  his  lip  flieds  dew, 
and  my  arms  enfold  him.  Bring  him, 
who  formerly  drew  me  by  the  locks  to 
his  embrace,  to  repofe  with  me  ;  whofe 
feet  tinkle,  as  they  move,  with  rings  of 
gold  and  of  gems  ;  whofe  loofened  zone 
founds,  as  it  falls  ;  and  whofe  limbs  are 
flender  and  flexible,  as  the  creeping  plant. 
Soft  is  the  gale,  which  breathes  over  yon 
dear  pool,  and  expands  the  cluttering 
bloffoms  of  the  voluble  Afoea,  Soft,  yet 
grievous  to  me,  is  the  abfence  of  the  foe 
of  Madhu.     Delightful  are  the  flowers  of 


J20  LETTERS  OF 

Amra  trees,  on  the  mountain  top  ;  while 
the  murmuring  bees  purfuc  their  volup- 
tuous toil.  Delightful,  yet  afflid:ing  to 
me,  O  friend,  is  the  abfence  of  the  youth- 
ful Cefava:' 

REMORSE,  in  the  mean  time,feizes  the 
breaft  of  Crishna,  whom  the  poet  here 
calls  "  the  deftroyer  of  Cansa.'*  He 
leaves  the  wanton  fhepherdefTes,  begins  a 
fruitlefs  fearch  for  Radha  ;  and  feating 
himfelf  in  a  bower,  pours  forth  his  lamen- 
tations. 

"  SHE  is  departed.     She  faw  me,  no 
doubt,  furrounded  by  the  wanton  fliep- . 
herdeffes.    Woe  is  me  !  Jhe  feels  afenfe  of  in- 
jured  honor ^  and  is  departed  in  wrath,     I 
feem  to  behold  her  face,  with  eye  brows  ^ 
contrading  themfelves  through  her  juft 
refentment.    It  refembles  a  frefli  lotos, 
over  which  two  black  bees  are  fluttering. 
Grant  me  but  a  fight  of  thee,  O  lovely 
Radha,    for  my  pafllon   torments    me. 
I  am  not  the  terrible  Makes  a.   A  garland 
of  water-lillies,  with  fubtil  threads,  decks 
my  fhoulders  j  not  ferpents  with  twiO"' 


SMAHCOOLfiN.  izi 

folds  ;  the  blue  petals  of  the  lotos  glitter 
on  my  neck  ;  not  the  azure  gleam  of 
poifon.  Powdered  fandal  wood  is  fprink- 
led  on  my  limbs  ;  not  pale  afhes.  O  God 
of  Love,  wound  me  not  again  ;  hold  not 
in  thy  hand  that  fliaft,  armed  with  an 
^mra  flower !  My  heart  is  already  pier- 
ced by  arrows  from  Radha's  eyes,  black 
and  keen,  as  thofe  of  an  antelope.  Her 
eyes  are  full  of  fliafts  ;  her  eye-brows  are 
bows.  I  meditate  on  her  dehghtful  em- 
brace, on  the  ravifliing  glances  darted 
from  her  eye,  on  the  fragrant  lotos  of 
her  mouth,  on  her  neclar-dropping  fpeech, 
on  her  lips,  ruddy,  as  the  berries  of  the 
BiMBA.  Yet  even  my  fixed  meditation, 
on  fuch  an  affemblage  of  charms,  increaf- 
es,  inftead  of  alleviating  the  miferies  of 
fcparation.'* 

THE  female  friend  of  Radha  prefents 
herfelf  before  Crishna,  and  relates  in 
charming  flrains  the  deftruclion  of  her 
friend.    I  felecl  only  4  few  pafTages. 

"  SHE  declares  the  gale  of  Malaya  to 
be  venom,  and  the  fandal  trees,  through 
L 


laa  LETTERS  OF 

which  It  has  breathed,  to  have  been  the 
haunt  of  ferpents.  Thus,  O  MadhafAj 
is  jhe  afflided  in  thy  abfence  with  the  pain^ 
which  love's  dart  has  occajtoned  ;  her  foul 
is  fixed  on  thee.  Her  face  is  Hke  a  watcr- 
iilly,  veiled  in  the  dew  of  tears  ;  and  her 
eyes  appear  like  moons  eclipfed.  Herfelf 
(alas  !  through  thy  abfence)  is  become  a 
timid  roe  ;  and  love  is  the  tiger,  who 
fprings  on  her,  like  Tama^  the  genius  of 
death.  Her  fighs  form  a  breeze  long  ex- 
tended; and  burn  her, like  the  flame,  which 
reduced  Candarpa  to  aflies.  She  throws 
around  her  eyes,  like  blue  water-lillies 
with  broken  ftalks,  dropping  lucid  ftreams. 
Even  her  bed  of  tender  leaves  appears,  in 
her  fight,  like  a  kindled  fire.  The  palm 
of  her  hand  fupports  her  aching  temple, 
motionlefs,  as  the  crefcent  riling  at  eve.'* 

CRisHNA  then  replies  to  the  maid. 
^'  Here  have  I  chofen  my  abode  ;  go 
quickly  to  Badha  ;  foothe  her  with  my 
meffage,  and  conduct  her  hither." 

SHE  haftens  back  and  addreffes  her 
companion  in  the  following  very  beauti- 
ful flrains. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  17,3 

*' WHILST  a  fweet  breeze  from  the  hills 
of  Malaya^  comes  wafting  on  his  plumes 
the  young  god  of  defire  ;  while  many  a 
flower  points  his  extended  petals  to  pierce 
the  bofom  of  feparated  lovers,  the  deity, 
tr owned  with  fylvan  bloffoms^  laments,  0 
friend,  in  thy  abfence.  Even  the  dewy  rays 
of  the  moon  burn  him.  When  the  bees 
murmer  foftly,  he  covers  his  ears.  He 
quits  his  radiant  place  for  the  wild  forefts ; 
where  he  finks  on  a  bed  of  cold  clay,  and 
frequently  mutters  thy  name.  Having 
bound  his  locks  with  for ejl  flowers,  he  hajiens 
to  your  arbor  ;  where  afoft  gale  breathes  over 
the  banks  of  Tamuna,  With  a  mind  lan- 
guid, as  a  drooping  wing,  feeble  as  a  trem- 
bling leaf,  he  doubtfully  expecls  thy  ap- 
proach ;  and  timidly  looks  on  the  path, 
which  thou  muft  tread.  O  friend,  haftily 
caft  over  thee  thy  azure  mantle,  and  run 
to  the  gloomy  bower.  The  reward  oF 
thy  fpeed,  O  thou,  who  fparkleil,  like 
lightning,  will  be  to  fhine  on  the  blue 
bofom  of  MuR  ARi ;  which  refembles  a  ver- 
nal cloud,  decked  with  a  firing  of  pearls, 
like  a  flock  of  white  water-birds  flutter- 


124  LETTERS  OF 

ing  in  the  air.  The  bright  beamed  God 
finks  in  the  weft.  The  blacknefs  of  the 
night  is  increafed;  and  the  pafiionate  im- 
?2:ination  of  Govinda  has  acquired  addi- 
tiv..  1  gloom.  Seize  the  moment  of  de- 
light in  the  place  of  afiignation  with  the 
fon  of  Devage." 

BUT  the  maid,  perceiving  that  Radha 
could  not  move  from  the  place  through 
cxceflive  debility,  haftens  back,  and  def- 
cribes  to  Cbjshna  the  fituation  of  his  be- 
loved. 

'•  SHr.  mourns^  0  fo'VereigJi  cf  the  ivorld^ 
in  her  verdant  h'jxver.  She  repeats  again 
and  again  the  name  of  He  ri  ;  and  catcli- 
in2:  r.t  a  dark  blue  cloud,  ftrivcs  to  em- 
brace  it  ;  faying,  "  it  is  my  beloved,  who 
approaches."'  If  a  leaf  but  quiver,  flie 
fuppofes  tliee  arrived.  She  fpreads  her 
couch.  She  forms  in  Iier  mind  a  hundred 
modes  of  delight.  Yet  if  thou  come  not 
to  the  bower,  flie  muft  die  this  night 
through  excefiive  anguifli.  By  this  time 
the  moon  fpread  a  net  of  beams  over  the 
groves  of  Yrindavan  ;  and  looked,  like  a 


SHAHCOOLEN.  125 

drop  of  liquid  fandal  on  the  face  of  the 
£ky ;  which  fmiled  like  a  beautiful  damfel; 
while  its  orb  with  many  fpots  betrayed, 
as  it  were,  a  confcioufnefs  of  guilt,  in 
having  often  attended  amorous  maids  to 
the  lofs  of  their  family  honor.  The  moon, 
with  a  black  fawn  couched  on  its  dilk, 
advanced  in  its  nightly  courfe  ;  but  Mad- 
HAFA  had  not  yet  advanced  to  the  bower 
of  Radha^  who  thus  bewailed  his  delay, 
with  notes  of  varied  lamentation." 

THE  remainder  of  the  Gitagovinda 
muft  be  deferred  to  the  next  epiftle  of 
thy  friend. 


L2 


io  LiriLRs  or 


better  Sujdfii). 

BELOVED   EL  HASSANy 


1  HAVE  not  yet  done  with  the  Gita- 
govinda  of  Jayadeva,  Having  dipped  into 
this  elegant  Poem,  I  am  not  willing  to 
leave  it,  until  I  have  taken  a  glance  at  all 
its  principal  beauties.  Thou  wilt  remem- 
ber, that  we  left  Radha  about  to  bewail 
the  delay  of  Chrishna.  Among  other 
pathetic  fentiments,  fhe  utters  the  follow- 
ing : 

"  THE  appointed  moment  is  come; 
but  Heri,  alas!  comes  not  to  the  grove. 
The  coolnefs  of  this  vernal  night  gives 
me  pain  inftead  of  refreihment.  Some 
happier  damfel  enjoys  my  beloved  ;  whilll 
I,  alas !  am  looking  at  the  gems  of  my 
bracelets,  which  are  blackened  by  the 
flames  of  my  paffion." 

SEEING    her  damfel   return  w^lthout 
CHR I SHN A;,  her  jealoufy  rifes  to  phrenzy  j 


SHAHCOOLEN.  i%i 

and  the  poet  makes  her  behold,  in  ima- 
gination, her  lover  in  the  arm9»of  a  rival. 

'•  YES,  in  habiliments  becoming  the 
war  of  love,  and  with  treffes,  waving  like 
flowery  banners,  a  damfeU  Jnore  alluring 
than  Radha,  enjoys  the  conqueror  ^  m  adhu. 
Her  form  is  transfigured  by  the  touch  of 
her  divine  lover.  Her  garland  quivers 
over  her  fwelling  bofom.  Her  face,  like 
the  moon,  is  graced  with  clouds  of  dark 
hair,  and  trembles  w^hile  fhe  quaffs  the 
neclareous  dew  of  his  lips  ;  ihe  floats  on 
the  waves  of  defire  ;  and  clofes  her  eyes, 
dazzled  with  the  blaze  of  approaching 
Cama.  See  how  he  kifles  the  lip  of  my 
rival,  and  imprints  on  her  forehead  an  or- 
nament of  pure  mulk,  black  as  the  young 
antelope  on  the  lunar  orb  !  Now,  like  the 
hufband  of  reti,  he  fixes  white  bloflbms 
on  her  dark  locks,  where  they  gleam  like 
flafhes  of  lightning  among  the  curled 
clouds.  On  her  breads,  like  two  firma- 
ments, he  places  a  ftring  of  gems,  like  a 
radiant  confiellation.  Mark,  how  my 
foul,  attraded  by  his  irrefiftible  charms, 


i««  LETTERS  OF 

burfts  from  its  mortal  frame,  and  ruflies 
to  mix  with  its  beloved." 

"  PIERCED  by  the  arrows  of  love,  fhe 
paffed  the  night  in  the  agonies  of  defpair ; 
and  at  early  dawn  thus  rebuked  her  lov- 
er, whom  ihe  faw  laying  proftrate  before 
her,  and  imploring  her  forgivenefs. 

"  ALAS  !  alas  !  go  Madhava  ;  depart^  0 
Cefavi ;  /peak    not  the  language  of  guile  ; 
follow  her^  0  lotos-eyed  God,  follow  her^  who 
difpels  thy  careJ** 

HAVING  thus  inveighed  againft  her 
beloved,  fhe  fat,  overwhelmed  in  grief, 
and  filently  meditated  on  his  charms  ;— 
when  the  damfel  foftly  addreffed  her  : 

"  HE  is  gone.  The  light  air  has  waft- 
ed him  away.  Continue  not,  refentful  wo- 
man,  thy  indignation  againfi  the  beautiful 
Madhava.  Why  fhouldeft  thou  render 
vain  thofe  round  fmooth  vafes,  ample  and 
ripe  as  the  fruit  of  yon  Tala  tree  ?  How 
often  have  I  faid,  forfake  not  the  bloom- 
ing Hm.^'' 


SHAHCOOL£N.  129 

CHRISHNA5  after  a  fliort  abfence,  re- 
turns, and  by  his  eloquence,  his  fervor 
and  praife,  entirely  appeafes  the  anger  of 
Radha,  Among  other  impaffioned  fen- 
timents,  he  fays  : 

"  THY  lips  are  a  Bandhujiva  flower  ; 
the  luftre  of  the  Madhuca  beams  on  thy 
cheek  ;  thine  eyes  out-fliine  the  blue  Li?- 
tos  ;  thy  nofe  is  a  bud  of  the  Tila  ;  the 
Cunda  bloiTom  yields  to  thy  teeth  :  Thus 
the  fiower-fhafted  God,  borrows  from 
thee  the  points  of  his  darts,  and  fub- 
dues  the  univerfe.  Surely  thou  defcend- 
edii:  from  Heaven,  O,  ilender  damfel,  at- 
tended by  a  company  of  youthful  goddefs- 
es ;  and  all  their  beauties  are  collected  in 
thee/' 

"  HE  fpake  ;  and  feeing  her  appeafed 
by  his  homage,  flew  to  his  bower,  clad  in 
a  gay  mantle.  The  night  now  veiled  all 
vifible  objects  \  and  the  damfel  thus  ex- 
horted Radha^  while  flie  decked  her  with 
beaming  ornaments. 

"  Follow  ^gentle  Radhica^  follow  the  foe  of 
Madhu,    His  difcourfe  was  elegantly  com- 


X3»  LETTERS  OF 

pofed  of  foft  phrafes  ;  he  proftrated  him- 
felf  at  thy  feet  ;  and  he  now  haftens  to 
his  delightful  couch,  by  yon  grove  of 
branching  Vanjulas,  The  night  now  dreff- 
es  in  habiliments  fit  for  fecrecy,  the  many 
damfels,  who  haften  to  their  places  of  af- 
iignation  ;  fhe  fets  off  with  blacknefs  their 
beautiful  eyes  ;  fixes  dark  Tamala  leaves 
behind  their  ears  ;  decks  their  locks  with 
the  deep  azure  of  water- lillies,  and  fprin- 
kles  muik  on  their  panting  bofoms.  The 
nocturnal  fky,  black  as  the  touchftone, 
tries  now  the  gold  of  their  affeclion,  and 
is  marked  with  rich  lines  from  the  flafli- 
es  of  their  beauty,  in  which  they  furpafs 
the  brightell  CaJh?niriansJ^ 

"RADHA,thus  incited,tripped  through 
the  foreft ;  but  fhame  overpowered  her,. 
when  by  the  light  of  innumerable  gems, 
on  the  arms,  the  feet,  and  the  neck  of  her 
beloved,  fhe  faw  him  at  the  door  of  his 
flowery  maniion.  Then  her  damfel  again 
addrelTed  her  with  ardent  exultation  : 

"  ENTER,  fweet  Radha^  the  bower  of 
Heri :  Seek  delight,  O   thou,  whofe  bo- 


ftHAHCOOLEN.  131 

fom  laughs  with  the  foretafte  of  happi- 
nefs.  Enter,  fweet  Radha^  the  bower, 
graced  with  a  bed  of  Afoca  leaves  :  Seek 
delight,  O  thou,  whofe  garland  leaps 
with  joy  upon  thy  breaft.  Enter,  fweet 
Radha^  the  bower  illumined  with  gay 
blolToms :  Seek  delight,  O  thou,  whofe 
limbs  far  excel  them  in  foftnefs.  Enter, 
O  Radha^  the  bower  made  cool  and  fra- 
grant, by  gales  from  the  woods  of  Ma- 
laya :  Seek  delight,  O  thou,  whofe  amo- 
rous lays  are  fofter  than  breezes.  Enter, 
O  Radha,  the  bower  fpread  with  leaves 
of  twining  creepers  :  Seek  deliglit,  O 
thou,  whofe  arms  have  been  long  inflexi- 
ble. Enter,  O,  Radha^  the  bower  which 
refounds  w*ith  the  murmur  of  honey-mak- 
ing bees :  Seek  delight,  O  thou,  whofe 
embrace  yields  more  exquifite  fweetnefs." 

"  SHE  ended  ;  and  Radha^  with  timid 
joy,  darting  her  eyes  on  Govinda^  while 
fhe  mufically  founded  the  rings  of  her  an- 
kles, and  the  bells  of  her  zone,  entered 
the  myftic  bower  of  her  only  beloved. — 
There  Jhe  beheld  her  Madhava^  who  delight- 
ed in  her  alone  ;  who  fo  long  hadftghedfor 


I3»  LETTERS  OF 

her  embrace  ;  and  whofe  eyes  then  gleamed 
with  excejjive  rapture*  His  heart  was  agi- 
tated by  her  fight,  as  the  waves  of  the 
deep  are  affected  by  the  lunar  orb.  His 
azure  breafl  glittered  with  pearls  of  un- 
blemiilied  luftre,  like  the  full  bed  of  the 
Cercelean  Tamuna^  interfperfed  with  curls 
of  white  foam.  From  his  graceful  waift, 
flowed  a  pale  yellow  robe,  which  refem- 
bled  the  golden  duft  of  the  water-lilly, 
fcattered  over  its  blue  petals.  His  pafli- 
on  was  inflamed  by  the  glances  of  her 
eyes,  which  played  like  a  pair  of  water- 
birds,  with  azure  plumage,  that  fport  near 
a  full-blown  Lotos^  on  a  pool,  in  the  fea- 
fon  of  dew.  Bright  ear-rings,  like  two 
funs,  difplayed,  in  full  expanfion,  the 
flowers  of  his  cheeks  and  lips,  which  glif- 
tened  with  the  liquid  radiance  of  fmiles. 
His  locks,  interwoven  with  bloffoms, 
were  like  a  cloud  variegated  with  moon- 
beams ;  and  on  his  forehead,  fhone  a  cir- 
cle of  odorous  oil,  cxtrafled  from  the 
fandal  of  Malaya^  like  the  moon  jufl  ap- 
pearing on  the  dulky  horizon  ;  while  his 
body  feemed  in  a  flame,  from  the  blaze 
of  unnumbered  gems.     Tears   of  tranf- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  133 

port  guflied  in  a  ftream,  from  the  eyes  of 
Radha^  and  their  watry  glances  beamed 
on  her  beft  beloved.  Even  fhame,  which 
before  had  taken  its  abode  in  their  dark^ 
pupils,  was  itfelf  afhamed,  and'  departed, 
v/hen  the  fawn  •  eyed  i?^7<3^/:?^,  gazed  on  the 
brightened  face  of  Chrijhna^  while  {he  paf- 
fed  by  the  foft  edge  of  his  couch,  and  the 
bevy  of  his  attendant  nymphs,  pretending 
to  ftrike  the  gnats  from  their  cheeks,  in 
order  to  conceal  their  fmiles,  warily  re- 
tired from  his  bower." 

"  GOviNDA,  feeing  his  beloved  cheer- 
ful and  ferene,  her  lips  fparkling  vddi 
fmiles,  and  her  eye  fpeaking  deiire,  thus 
eagerly  addreffed  her,  while  flie  careleflly 
reclined  on  the  leafy  bed,  ftrewn  with  loft 
bloifoms. 

"  Set  the  lotos  of  thy  foot  on  this 
azure  bofom  ;  and  let  this  couch  be  vic- 
torious over  all,  w^ho  rebel  againft  love. 
Speak,  but  one  gentle  word ;  bid  neftar 
drop  from  the  bright  moon  of  thy  mouth. 
O  !  fufFer  me  to  quaff  the  liquid  bhfs  of 
thofe  lips  ;  reftore  v.ith  their  water  of  life 
M 


134  LETTERS  GF 

thy  flave,  who  has  long  been  lifelefs ; 
whom  the  fire  of  reparation  has  confum- 
ed.  O  !  let  affli£lion  ceafe  ;  and  let  ec- 
flacy  drown  the  remembrance  of  pad  for- 


row." 


"  IN  thE  morning  fhe  rofe,  difarrayed ; 
and  her  eyes  betrayed  a  night  without 
flumber  ;  when  the  yellow  robed  god, 
who  gazed  on  her  with  tranfport,  thus 
meditated  on  her  charms  in  his  heavenly 
mind.'' 

"  THOUGH  her  locks  be  difFufed  at  ran- 
dom, though  the  luftre  of  her  lips  be  fad- 
ed, though  her  garland  and  zone  be  fal- 
len from  their  enchanting  ftations,  and 
thou2:h  fhe  hide  their  places  w^ith  her 
hands,  looking  toward  me  with  baihful 
filence  ;  yet,  even  thus  difarranged,  fiie 
fills  me  with  extatic  delight." 

"  BUT  Radha^  preparing  to  array  her- 
felf,  before  the  company  of  nymphs  could 
fee  her  confufion,  fpake  thus  with  exul- 
tation to  her  obfequious  lover. 

"  PEACE,  O  fon  of  Tadhu^  with  fin- 
gers cooler,  than  fandal  wood,  place  a  cir- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  135 

clet  of  muik  on  this  breaft.  Place,  my  dar- 
ling, the  gloffy  powder,  which  would 
make  the  blackeft  bee  envious,  on  this 
eye,  whofe  glances  are  keener  than  ar- 
rows, darted  by  the  hufband  of  Reti, — 
Now  replace,  O  tender  hearted,  the  loofe 
ornaments  of  my  vefture  ;  and  refix  the 
golden  bells  of  my  girdle  on  their  deftin- 
ed  fladon,  which  refembles  thofe  hills, 
where  the  God  with  five  fhafts,  who  def- 
troyed  Samb^r^  keeps  his  elephant  ready 
for  battle."  "  While  flie  fpakc,  the  heart 
of  Tadha-va  triumphed  ;  and,  obeying  her 
fportful  behefts,  he  placed  mulky  fpots  on 
her  bofom  and  forehead,,  dyed  her  tem- 
ples with  radiant  hues,  embellifhed  her 
eyes  with  additional  blacknefs,  decked  her 
braided  hair  and  her  neck  with  frefli  gar- 
lands ;  and  tied  on  her  wriils  the  loofened 
bracelets,  on  her  ankles  the  beamy  rings, 
and  around  her  v/aift  the  zone  of  bells, 
that  founded  with  ravifhing  melody.'^ 

"  WHATEVER  is  delightful  in  the 
modes  of  mufic,  whatever  is  divine  in  me- 
ditations on  Vijhnu^  whatever  is  exquiiite 
in  the  fweet  art  of  love,  whatever  is  grace- 


i3'j  LETTERS  OF 

ful  in  the  fine  ftrains  of  poetry  ,  all  that^ 
let  the  happy  and  the  wife  learn  from  the 
fongs  of  Jayadeva^  whofe  foul  is  united 
with  the  foot  of  Narayan.'' 

TH'JS,  my  dear  friend,  thou  haft  be- 
fore thee  fome  of  the  moft  ftriking  beau- 
ties of  Solomon* s  Song^  and  of  the  Gitagovin- 
da.  The  latter  is  decked  with  all  the  ex- 
quifite  beauty,  and  dazzling  fplendor  of 
Indian  painting  ;  VvTitten  in  a  country, 
where  fcenes  of  beauty  are  more  vivid 
and  luxuriant  than  in  any  other;  and 
wrought  up  by  the  fineft  efforts  of  Hindu 
imagination.  But  it  is  not  furprifing,  that 
its  beauties  fhould  now  and  then  become 
too  intenfe,  for  the  taftc  of  a  more  north- 
ern clime.  But  it  muft  always  command 
the  admiration  of  every  lover  of  nature  ; 
whether  he  drew  his  firft  breath  on  the 
banks  of  the  Ganges^  or  the  Hudfon,  It 
muft  be  confeiled,  that  the  beauties  of  the 
Song  of  Solomon,  if  they  are  not  equally 
glowing,  are  more  chafte,  both  in  morals 
and  tafte,  than  thofe  of  the  latter. 


SHAHCOOLEN. 


137 


THAT  the  great  Brwnma^  by  the  deli- 
cious ftrains  of  poetry,  contained  in  the 
Gitagovinda,  may  allure  our  minds  to  a 
contemplation  of  "  the  reciprocal  attrac- 
tion betv/een  the  Divine  Goodnefs  and 
the  Human  Soul,"  is  the  ardent  \vifti  of 
thy  anoft  faithful  friend. 


M2 


138  LETTERS  OF 


BELOrED    EL    HASSANy 

Thanks  to  the  Goddefs  Sera/waty, 
thy  friend  ftill  lives,  to  bbferve  the  man- 
ners, and  inveftigatethe  ideas  of  nations 
remote  from  his  beloved  Hinduftan.     In 
fome  of  my  former  letters,  I  have  deline- 
ated fome  features  of  the  modern  philof- 
ophy.    I  met  yeflerday  with  a  philofopher 
of  this  fchool,  whofe  fentiments  were  en- 
tirely novel  to  me.     He  was  a  grave  man 
about  forty  years  old,    affected  the  char- 
acter of  a  philofopher,  and  talked  much 
in  abflract  and  undefined  language. 

I  MET  him  w^alking  alone  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Schuylkill.  His  appear- 
ance attracted  my  attention  ;  and  finding 
him  courteous  in  his  manners,  I  requefi:ed 
the  pleafure  of  his  fociety  in  a  walk  to 
and  fro  along  the  banks  of  the  river. 

HE  opened  his  remarks  by  an  elabor- 
ate euioeium  upon  the  progrefs  of  repub- 


SHAHCOOLEN.  139 

licanlfm  ;  which  word,  as  I  afterwards 
found,  means  modern  philofoph^,  "  Thrones 
(faid  he)  are  tottering  ;  kings  tremble  at 
the  progrefs  of  liberty  \  nobles  and  priefts 
are  confpiring,  but  in  vain,  to  prop  the 
altar  and  the  throne.  They  muft  and  they 
will  fall,  never  to  rife  again. 

"  REPUBLICANISM  has  made  a  glorious 
progrefs  in  America.  A  philofopher  and 
philanthropift  is  in  the  chair  of  fupreme 
magiftracy,  and  the  minions  of  monarchy 
and  ariftocracy  are  ikulking  into  private 
life. 

*'  BUT  what  (continued  he)  fignifies  this, 
fo  long  as  a  diftempered  and  unnatural 
ftate  of  civilization,  continues  to  corrupt 
the  original  innocence,  and  cramp  the  na- 
tive freedom  of  man  ?  I  figh  for  the  prim- 
itive ftate  of  natui*e,  and  confidently  truft, 
that  this  century  will  fee  it  reflored.  The 
earth,  the  great  parent  of  man,  beaft, 
fowl  and  herb,  has  been  wickedly  appro- 
priated to  the  ufe  of  individuals.  Inftead 
of  ranging  at  large  over  the  ample  face  of 
nature,  I  am  now  forbidden  to  enter  my 


140  LETTERS  OF 

neighbor's  field,  left  I  Ihould  tread  down 
his  grafs.  I  am  confined  by  fences  to  a 
narrow  road,  and  compelled  to  travel  in 
a  prefcribed  track.'' 

SIP.,  (rejoined  I)  do  you  not  travel 
with  infinitely  more  eafe  in  an  eftablifhed 
road,  ufually  the  fhorteft  diftance  between 
the  places,  which  it  conne<^s,  than  you 
would  over  mountains  and  crags,  and 
through  moraffes,  deferts  and  defiles  ? 
And  does  not  the  earth,  when  inclofed 
and  cultivated,  produce  an  hundred  times 
more  food,  than  when  overrun  by  beafts 
of  the  foreft,  and  covered  with  heath  and 
jungle  ?  Does  not  a  cultivated  country 
alfo  exhibit  to  the  eye  a  landfcape,  beyond 
comparifon  more  beautiful,  than  the  bar- 
ren wildernefs  of  nature  ? 

"  BUT,  (faid  the  Philofopher,)  this  is  no 
compenfation  for  the  lofs  of  my  liberty  ; 
the  liberty  of  rambling  juft  where  wild 
unheeding  fancy  leads. 

"  HOW  opprefilve  is  the  whole  fyftem  of 
laws,  by  which  this  arbitrary  affumption 
of  property  is  defended.     Why  Ihould 


SH.\HCOOLEN.  lAt 

my  neighbor  ride  an  elegant  Englifh 
courfer,  breathing  fire  from  his  noftrils^ 
and  fhaking  the  earth  with  his  tread  v 
while  I,  a  better  man  than  he,  becaufe  a 
greater  Philofop her,  muft  travel  on  foot  ? 
and  fhould  I  take  his  horfe  for  my  own 
ufe,  I  muft  fwing  on  the  gallows,  or  toil 
in  the  mines. 

"  KINGS,  nobles  and  priefts,  con* 
:^iring  againft  the  liberty  of  man,  have 
enacled  fyftems  of  laws,  on  purpofe 
to  entangle  the  unwary.  There  is  no 
crime,  where  there  is  no  law.  A  pure 
ftate  of  nature,  where  man  is  innocent, 
does  not  know  a  crime  ;  becaufe  crimes 
have  never  been  here  created  by  the  in- 
llltution  of  laws.  What,  but  a  diftem- 
pe  red  civilization,  has  rendered  it  crimi- 
nal to  obey  the  dictates  of  nature  in  pro- 
inifcuous  concubinage  ?  Why  iliould  I  be 
confined  to  one  woman,  while  the  whole 
animal  world  befide,  obey  the  impulfe  of 
pafiion,  and  feek  gratification,  wherever  it 
m.ay  be  found  ?  Why  fliould  I  be  compel- 
led to  fupport  and  educate  thofe  beings, 
whom  my  phyfical  energies,  operating  ac» 


14*  LETTERS  Of 

cording  to  the  eftablilhed  laws  of  nature, 
without  the  afliftance  of  mind,  have  pro- 
duced ?  I  am  no  more  accountable  for 
their  exiflence,  than  the  mountain  for 
the  cedar,  which  it  bears,  or  the  ftream 
for  the  wheel,  which  it  turns.  As  there- 
fore the  cedar  is  cut  down,  and  the  moun- 
tain does  not  mourn  ;  the  wheel  is  re- 
moved, but  the  ftream  ftill  continues  to 
flow  ;  fo  thofe  beings  may  be  born,  grow 
up,  and  die  without  any  claim  to  my 
afliftance,  and  with  no  title  \o  my  love, 
or  my  grief.*' 

MR.  Philofopher,  rejoined  I,  your  doc- 
trines are  new,  and  I  muft  therefore  be 
indulged  my  doubts ;  as  no  one  can  at 
once  eradicate  eftablifhed  prejudices,  or 
banilh  old  modes  of  thinking. 

IF  your  neighbor's  fuperior  induftry, 
or  good  fortune,  enables  him  to  ride  an 
Englifli  courfer,  while  your  indolence,  or 
untoward  fate,  obliges  you  to  walk,  why 
fliould  not  laws  be  made  to  fecure  to  him 
the  fruit  of  his  induftry,  and  the  gifts  of 
fortune  ?     Your  invedives  againft-  kings, 


SHAHGOOLEN  143 

priefls  and  nobles  are  unfounded.  Have 
crimes  been  lefs  frequent  in  republics 
than  in  monarchies  ?  Let  Rome,  Athens, 
Carthage,  Venice  and  modern  France,  an- 
fwer  the  queftion. 

YOUR  affertion,  that  where  there  is  no 
law,  there  is  no  crime,  is  falfe.  Do  not 
murders,  maimings,  and  rapes,  occur 
more  frequently  in  the  ilate  of  fociety, 
which  is  called  ihtjiate  of  nature-^  than  in 
any  other  ?  And  do  they  ceafe  to  be 
crimes,  becaufe  not  forbidden  by  poiitive 
laws  ? 

I  AM  aftonifhed,  that  a  Philofopher 
fliould  be  willing,  at  a  iingle  flroke,  to  de- 
ftroy  nearly  all  the  virtue,  and  the  happi- 
nefs  of  life.  For  why  fliould  one  man 
be  permitted  the  ufe  of  an  hundred  wo- 
men, when  one  will  anfwer  all  the  pur- 
pofes  of  his  exiflence?  Abolifli  the  infli- 
tution  of  marriage,  and  where  would  be 
that  focial  virtiae,  that  mild,  but  conftant 
philanthrophy,  which  fprings  from  the 
moil:  delightful  of  all  connexions,  the 
union  of  congenial  fouls? 


Z44  LETTERS  OF 

•**  Where  heart  meets  heart,  reciprocally  foft, 
Each  others  pillow  to  repole  divine.'* 

WHAT  would  remain  in  its  ftead,  but 
brutal  luft,  emaciating  the  body,  and  cox- 
-Tupting  the  mind  ? 

IN  the  iharp  conteft  for  the  fineft 
women,  for  women  would  then  become 
an  article  of  luxury,  what  contentions, 
what  public  murders,  what  private  aiiaf- 
inations  would  enfue  !  How  wretched 
miift  the  women  themfelves  be,  thrown 
from  paramour  to  paramour,  without  a 
dwelling,  and  without  a  protedor  !  How 
would  their  hearts  fink  in  that  moft  try- 
ing hour,  when  about  to  give  life  to  a  ra- 
tional being,  their  own  hangs  fufpended 
on  a  thread  ! 

BUT  how,  Mr.  Philofopher,  can  you 
fay,  that  you  are  not  obliged  to  afford 
protection  and  fupport  to  the  being  whom 
you  have  begotten?  The  mountain,  it  is 
true,  produces  the  cedar,  and  the  dream 
turns  the  wheel,  according  to  the  eftab- 
liflied  laws  of  vegetation  and  motion  ;  for 
in  them  refides  no  volition.     But  you  are 


SHAHCOOLEN.  145 

a  rational  being,  and  in  yielding  to  the 
impulfe  of  nature,  are  able  to  forefee  the 
confequence  of  your  agency.  Who  fliall 
maintain  the  helplefs  little  ftranger,  if  you 
do  not  ?  Call  upon  the  wide  world,  and 
unrecognized  by  him,  who  gave  it  being, 
the  infant  mull  perifli,  unlefs  fuftained  by 
the  hand  of  maternal  care,  or  by  the  vol- 
untary attentions  of  ftrangers, 

THEPhilofopherpaufed,  and  ftroking 
his  beard,  as  if  preparing  for  another  dif- 
play  of  his  powers,  proceeded  to  con- 
demn civilized  life,  and  to  eulogize  the 
ftate  of  nature.  But  the  fequel  of  our 
converfation  muft  be  deferred,  till  the 
next  epiftlq  of  thy  friend. 


N. 


'46  LETTERS  OF 


^Letter:  ifourtr  mtf). 


DE^mir  BELOFED  EL  HASSAN, 

1  HE  Philofopher  proceeded. — "The 
reftraints   of    marriage   are    intolerable. 
The  focial  affedions,  of  which  you  fpeak, 
are  narrow  and  felfifh.    How  much  more 
worthy  of  a  philofopher  is  that  expanded 
philanthropy,  which  embraces,  within  the 
wide  circle  of  its  love,  the  Greenlander, 
half  buried  in  his  fnows,  and  the  naked 
favage,  panting  at  the  line  ?     Low,  deba- 
fed  fouls,  corrupted  by  civilization,  may 
feek  for  objeds  of  charity  in  the  high- 
ways and  cottages  ;   but  let  me  tell  you, 
fuch  beings  can  never  become  Philofophers, 
Philofopical  philanthropy  extends  its  af- 
fe<5lions  even   to  other  planets,  and  to 
other  fyftems ;    and  confiders  the  whole 
univerfe,  as  one  great  republic." 

HERE  the  Philofopher,  affuming  a  loft- 
ier ftep,  looked  me  full  in  the  face,  while 
his  countenance  expreffed  fupreme  fatif- 
faftion. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  147 

WHAT  good,  Mr.  Philofopher,  (faid  I) 
will  your  philanthropy  do  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  diftant  fyilems,  which  the  mod 
rapid  comet  can  hardly  reach  in  his  ama- 
zing revolution  of  a  thoufand  years  ? 
What  inhabitant  of  Herfchel^  a  planet, 
which  our  finefl  telefcopes  can  hardly  ren- 
der vifible,  will  ever  know  of  the  exigence 
of  the  Philadelphia  Philofopher  ?  What 
Greenlander^  or  native  of  Borneo^  will  ever 
hear  one  of  your  philanthropic  iighs,  or 
liflen,  as  I  do,  to  the  eloquence  of  your 
tongue  ?  Indesd,  fir,  we  muft  feek  objects 
of  charity  within  our  reach.  We  mull 
relieve  the  unfortunate  mendicant  in  the 
llreets,  and  cheer  the  wretched  inhabitants 
of  the  hut  of  poverty.  Let  Karnfchatka 
and  Caffraria  relieve  the  diftrclTes  of  their 
own  inhabitants  ;  and  let  us  cherifh  the 
country,  which  gave  us  birth,  and  do  good 
to  the  little  circle  around  us. 

"your  mind(replied  the  Philofopher,) 
is  not  fufficiently  enlightened  to  feel  the 
fublimity  of  my  do6lrines.  I  therefore 
pardon  your  prejudices,  while  I  ftrive  to 
remove  them.     It  is  this  diftempered  flate 


I4«  LETTERS  01^' 

of  civilization,  which  has  given  you  thefe 
falfe  conceptions.  Could  you  only  fee  a 
fociety  of  men  in  the  fimple  ftate  of  na- 
ture, you  v^ould  be  proud  to  throw  off 
your  falfe  refinements,  and  refort  to  the 
amiable  fociety  of  uncorrupted  men." 

IN  the  farther  India,  Mr.  Philofopher, 
(faid  1)  on  the  borders  of  the  kingdom  of 
Pegu^  I  have  feen  a  race  of  men,  almoft  in 
that  amiable  flate  of  nature,  the  contem- 
plation of  which  produces  fuch  raptures 
in  your  mind  ;  entirely  naked,  even  in 
tiiofe  parts  which  nature  bids  us  conceal  ; 
deftitute  of  homes  and  habitations ;  al- 
moft without  language  ;  ignorant  of  ag- 
riculture, and  fubfifting  upon  berries,  and 
the  flefli  of  animals  torn  raw  from  their 
bones,  and  quivering  between  their  teeth 
as  they  devour  it  ;  without  property, 
without  laws,  and  without  decency  ;  fav- 
age  to  ftrangers,  and  brutal  to  each  other* 
Is  this,  Mr.  Philofopher,  the  boafted  ftate 
of  nature,  which  you  wifh  to  fee  reftored  ? 

IN  a  journey  which  I  have  made,  lince 
I  have  been  in  your  country,  to  explore 
the  fliores  of  the  great  lakes,  and  to  view 


SHAHCOOLEN.  149 

the  falls  of  Niagara^  I  have  had  fome  op- 
portunities of  feeing  the  favage  nations 
of  this  continent.  From  books  I  have 
learnt  thofe  particulars,  which  my  own 
obfervation  did  not  fupply  ;  and  what  a 
picture  do  I  contemplate  ?  In  the  winter 
they  fhivcr  round  a  wigwam  fire,  the 
cold  wind  whiftling  through  the  frequent 
openings,  and  the  fnow  burying  them,  as 
they  lie  wrapped  in  their  furs. 

IN  the  fummer  they  bafk  in  the  fun, 
till  hunger  drives  them  to  the  chafe. 
Then  gorged  witli  flelh,  and  furfeited  with 
blood,  they  fleep  again,  till  hunger  fends 
them  anew  to  the  mountains  and  deferts. 

THEIR  women  are  made  beafls  of  bur- 
den and  flaves  of  brutal  pleafures  ;  while 
their  haughty  mafters  deny  them,  even  the 
poffibility  of  partaking  upon  equal  terms 
in  the  joy^  of  that  fenfual  paradife,  which 
they  antidpate  beyond  the  grave. 

WAk  is  the  great  ruling  paffion,  which 
calls  into  adion  all  the  energies  of  the 
American  favage*    Intrepid,  ferocious  and 


150  LETTERS  OF 

invincible  in  combat,  he  never  leaves  the 
field  without  victory.  The  battle  com- 
monly  proves  fatal  to  the  greater  number 
of  both  fides,  and  to  the  whole  of  the 
vanquiihed  party.  Few  are  taken  prifon- 
ers ;  and  thofe  who  are,  receive  a  fate  infi- 
nitely worfe,  than  immediate  death. 

PERHAPS  a  folitary  prifoner  or  two, 
whom  the  caprice  or  pity  of  their  mailers 
refer ves  for  the  fervice  of  the  wigwam, 
efcape  the  torture.  But  he,  who  is 
doomed  to  honor  the  God  of  War  ,  is  tied 
naked  to  a  Itake,  A  How  fire  is  kindled 
around  him,  which  fcorches  without  con- 
fuming.  The  flefh  is  lacerated  ;  burning 
coals  are  thrown  into  the  open  wounds  ; 
the  finews  are  rent  afunder,  and  the  flefli 
torn  off,  broiled  and  devoured,  before  the 
indignant  warrior.  At  length,  when  his 
fufFerings  are  almoft  paft  endurance,  he 
is  loofed  from  the  fi:ake,  that  he  may  re- 
cover his  fpirits  a  little,  and  afford  his  tor- 
menters  a  further  diverfion.  His  heart 
remains  unfubdued,  till  death,  his  beft 
friend,  releafes  the  foul  from  its  mangled 
habitation. 


SHAHCOOLEN.  151 

THIS,  Mr.  Philofopher,  is  but  a  faint 
outline  of  that  glorious  flate  of  nature,  to 
which  you  would  bring  back  the  human 
race.  Should  I  fill  up  the  pidure,  it 
would  grow  blacker  and  blacker,  till  not 
an  agreeable  fliade  would  be  left  to  cheer 
the  eye. 

"  BUT  (replied  the  Philofopher)  will 
you  make  no  account  of  the  racks  and  the 
gibbets,  the  pillories,  the  prifons  and  the 
whipping-pofls  of  civil  fociety  ?  "Will 
yov.  not  notice  the  tyranny  of  priefts, 
who  would  blind  our  eyes,  that  they  may 
filch  our  purfes,  and  put  hooks  in  our 
nofes  ? 

"  COURTS  of  juflice,  laws  and  magif- 
trates,  encroaching  on  our  natural  liber- 
ty, "compel  us  to  pay  our  debts,  to  curb 
our  paflions,  and  refpecl  the  created 
rights  of  our  neighbors.  I  am  tired  of 
thefe  eternal  reflraints.  I  figh  for  the 
liberty  of  doing,  what  I  pleafe,  the  glori- 
ous liberty  of  nature. 

"but  the  ^RA  is  now  dawning  in 
America,  when    civil  government  fliall 


15*  SHAHCOOLEN 

either  be  completely  aboliflied,  or  fo  foft- 
ened  and  accommodated  to  the  primeval 
innocence  of  man,  as  to  be  no  longer  a 
burden.  Religion,  that  tool  of  ftatefmen, 
and  idol  of  fools,  with  its  minifters,  its 
temples,  and  its  votaries,  fliall  be  fwept 
into  oblivion. 

"  MARRIAGE  fliall  bc  aboUflicd,  and  a 
community  of  women,  of  property  and 
rights,  fliall  crown  the  triumph  of  philof- 
ophy,  and  of  republicanifm." 

A  STORM,  which  had  been  rifing  in  the 
wefl:,  now  began  to  puur  down  floods  of 
rain;  and  we  parted,  with  a  mutual prom- 
ife  of  meeting  again. 


i» 


